More!
Chapter 183
"Huh, um," a masculine voice said clearing his throat. "Excuse me!""Brian," I manged to whine without pushing away from Justin."I know, but your mom is on the phone."With that said, Justin pulled away from me, while I reluctently stood up to talk to my mom."Hi!""Well, how are things in Hawaii? I haven't heard too much about it.""Mom, it is so beautiful. The sun rises, and sun sets, the bright shinning moon, and all the gorgeous flowers. You guys would really love it.""I bet we would. We miss you two so much.""Aww, mom, now don't start crying.""But you are grown up, your in collage now.""Mom, is this going to take awhile?""I'm sorry. Anyway, the real reason I called, was to tell you Mea-mom (my grandmother) hasn't been doing to well. She isn't in any serious condition, but the doctors finally told her to slow down before she wears out.""What does that mean?""That if she keeps proceeding to do all the yard work, horse riding, and everything, it could seriously hurt her health.""But she will be okay, right?" I said pacing along the wood."Of course, she knows what she is doing. Don't get worried about it.""Okay.""Hey, I love you.""Love you too mom.""So where is Key?""I really don't know.""Sounds like Key.""Yep!""Well, Dad sends his love, and you better call more often.""Okay, bye mom.""What was that face about?" Brian asked."What?""Yeah, the worried one?""Oh, it was about the news on Mea-mom. She needs to slow her life down.""Nothing serious though.""Nope," I said walking over to where I had been before."That is so cute," Justin said with a smirk on his face."You know my revenge isn't as sweet!""That sounds like a really good idea to me," Kelli said bouncing around the hotel lobby as we all discussed what were going to be doing for our last day in Hawaii."The beach is the best place for horses," Lance replied."To romantic!" Aaron whined."He says that know, but when the Candice girl would walk by him, you should have seen his eyes light up," Angel teased."Yeah, this is your last day on the trip, what do you three want to do?" I asked directly at BJ, Angel, and Aaron."Well, I like the horse idea," BJ said shruging."Me too!" Angel said."Yeah, whatever!" Aaron replied."Yes, yes, yes," Kelli said acting a like immature, but rather cute.That was when Christina decided to speak. "And what about Justin?" All eyes turned to his concerned face of terror."He will come! I've been trying to get a lesson in with him for a while now," Lance said."So he isn't over that fear yet?" Christina said shaking her head."Nope!" Britney answered."Christina bring bad luck!" Justin said pointing at her with a grimmace."Harshness," Tyler laughed."Yeah, Justin, you can do better then that!" Chris cheared."Yeah, like when I watch Superman four times in one day.""Four times?" AJ asked."It was a long bus ride!" Joey said now embarrased."I wonder what Brooke would think about that?" AJ replied. Before long all the guys, expect respectable Kevin, wear on the floor, in ball laughing at their fighting tactics."Don't we just love them!" I said shaking my head."Huh, but we do!" Leighann said dazely."That was scary," Christina said."Oh, get used to it. She is either controling or on Cloud Nine," Key said."But we love her just the same!" I said."You beter!" Leighann said getting closer to me."Yeah!""YEAH!""Come on, bring it!""You bring it!""Oh God, help me!" BJ said, when Leighann began to tickle me.
Chapter 184”Come on, it isn't that bad," I said trying to persuade Justin to mont the horse."If I fall and brake another bone, you will so pay.""I like your revenges, remember?""I didn't mean it like that!""Justin, come on!" Lance said."Justin, It's not that hard, here let me try Ames" Kelli said easily swing off her horse and handing the reins to me."Uhhhh Kelli? You sure you know what you are doing?" Justin asked her nervously."Yea, positive. Okay, place your let hand here," She said pointing at the front of the saddle "Now right hand on the back. Very good!""What now girly?""Ahh! Don't call me that!" She retorted in a calm voice so she wouldn't start the horse. "Oh Justin, also hold the reins in your left hand too. Got them? Good.""Okay, keep going before I change my mind!""Do you know how to mount or get on?" She asked. He just nodded. "okay then, lets see you do it." To our amazement, Justin was up on the horse and hoopefully ready to get on with it."You seem to have a calmer horse so, squeeze lightly with your calf and keep your heals down. Excellent! Now, pat the horse on the neck to praise it." Kelli grinned as she relived me from her horse and gracefully swung back on to the horse and nudged it foreward."Ames, how long has she been riding?" Justin and Nick asked me at the sametime."About 7 and a half years I think. Right Kelli?" I asked her."Huh? Oh, yeah, 7 and a half years is right. Why?" She questioned"I just wanted to know," I replied easivly."Okay, well let's go!" Kelli squealed softly with excitement. We slowly rode the horses from the stable an into the mid-day sun, on the sand."Not so bad?" Lance asked."Not yet, but I just saw a snail pass me," Justin said."Will you just shut-up and enjoy it!" JC said."I'm trying!" he said becoming tense as he felt the horse tighten underneath him."Relax, the horse can sense that," Kelli instructed.However, Justin still sat in a difficult postion."Um, Justin, try moving with the horse, instead of staying parallel to the ground."He leaned forward and screeched when he tipped to the side.Lance smirked at his error, while Britney gave him a look of warning."That was actually pretty good" Kelli said. "It is no different then driving a car, but it is a horse, and can feel you touch.""That makes this alot simpler," Justin said shaking his head."Relax! Main word. You'll be fine if you trust the horse. The only reason you would fall off, is if you told yourself you would. Your defeating yourself before you even try," I said trying to help a perplexed Kelli."I know, I'm on the horse, I'm tring! I can do this!""YES! Attitude is 90% of the challange.""Sounds like an English teacher!" Key said."Yeah, it really did!" Angel added."Because I got it from an English teacher!"
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"Guys, it is getting a little dark out here!" Angel complained."No it isn't! I'm just getting used to it!" Justin shouted causing his horse to stir and make him tilt to the side."Sure, getting used to it. Keep telling yourself that!" Nick said."Nick!" Kelli scolded. "You are going to scare all the horses!""Excuse me Princess!""Excuse your-self freak boy!" Key shouted, causing the horse she was riding to kick its hind legs. "Oh my GOD! HELP!" she yelped as she was tossed onto the sandy beach."Nice one Key!" I said trying not to laugh at her experssion."My butt is going to fall off!""Aww poor baby!" Nick said giving a pouting look."Nickolas!" Leighann called."FINE!" he shouted back in defeat."You are doing good. See riding a horse isn't a bad as it may seem!" I said directing at Jusitn."Yeah, I guess not!" he shurgd trying to sound uninterested."Really! Cause I was looking forward to the revenge.""If I'm hurting though, I can't say that revenge will be all that great, you know like if I happen to fall on my butt!" he said emphasizing the last part and looking at Key as she tried to get back on the horse."Maybe, I'll just take revenge on you, for your little revenge on me!""That sounds really nice!" Justin said rasing his eyebrows."I don't even want to know!" Nick said shaking his head."I do!" Leighann said troting behind us, with Brian in a short range from her."Huh, later, K!""Oh, one of those moments!""Leighann don't even get me started with THOSE moments, because I know way to many of them for you!""So that is why she got the grape thing!" Brian said shaking his head."Grape thing?" Nick implied."Nice one, sweetie," Leighann said shaking her head."That's why we don't talk around them," I whispered rather loudly."You got that one!"
Chapter 186
"Oh my God! How can anyone stand this pain!" Justin complained as he dismounted his horse."They just do!" Lance replied."This is why I would have rather rode a dog," Chris said."I would feel sorry for that dog!" Christina said."Yeah, and we love you too! cough cough!" he said sarcastically."Lordy, this is crazy. I am ready to relax or party!""And you like her," Chris asked Lance."Chris, the best thing you have ever dated was that little dog, Busta, which is being neglected at the moment.""I got people watching him!""Could you see him as a father!" Lance said shaking his head."So what are we going to do tonight?" Key asked BJ."Boy seaching baby! Last night in Hawaii, full moon, and boys without shirts! Could you ask for anything better?""Ow ow!" Key yelped."Ohh, sounds like a hott night!" Christina commented."You coming?" BJ asked."You asking, I'm there, after I get out of this horse infested clothing.""Well, boy crazy people are done with," AJ said shaking his head. "We going out, D?" "I guess so!""I'm going with you oo!" Chirs shouted. "JC?""Yeah whatever!" JC groaned."We got to get him a girlfriend!" Tyler said holding Sam against his chest."Can is wait?" she whinned."You better believe it is going to wait!" "Gross gross gross gross gross!" Aaron shouted."Hey Aaron," Nick called. "Watch this!" he said before bending down a kissing Kelli on the cheek."I'm going to tell mommy!""That doesn't work anymore!""You know he is really girl crazy at home," Angel said."I know, he is just showing off a bit. So what are we doing tonight.""I don't know! I kinda wanted to spend the last night with Nick, but you know how that goes.""You're gonna get your way, even if I have to hold Kelli for ransom.""What are we whispering about over here?" Justin asked walking behind me."How to break up Nick and Kelli.""What?" he asked in a shocked voice."Just for the night, since they are going to go tomorrow.""Oh, I say we throw a party on the beach, who's left, me, you, Nick, Kelli, Brian, Leighann, Kevin, and Joey.""Joey has an appoint with the phone.""Oh that's right. The mingleing over the technology!""What about this idea, pinic on the beach?" Angel suggested."We got everything?" Angel asked as Justin and I had arm fulls of junk to set out on the beach."I think so, lets go before we break something," I said trying to balance the weight."Okay," Angel said leading the way."Hey thanks!" I said looking over at Justin and how he was carefully studying every step he took so nothing would fall."Your welcome, even though I'm really enjoying this.""Really? Looks like it!" I said with a suggestive tone."Look at how she is shinning with joy, she's got one of those smiles.""You know how perfect you are?""Perfect, I'm beyond perfect!""Now you are full of yourself.""Conceited not me, it's just what I am, and I'm me!" he sang."Keep walking Peter Pan, and Wendy!""Thanks for the reminder Angel! Hey where's Aaron?""Taking a showerI think.""That's always a good thing," Justin knodded."Yeah, how about here?" Angel said spreading out one of the blankets we took from the front desk."Looks good to me," I said before Justin and I both dropped everything we were carrying."Come on Nick, please please please please please!" Angel begged."Why is this so important, it is just the moon.""Because it is full and is shinning over the water. It will only take a few seconds! Come on!""I'm coming!" Kelli said walking down the hallway to the beach."Fine," Nick whined.
Chapter 187
"BRIAN!" I shouted standing outside the hotel room."COMING!" he shouted back. "What is so important?""Aaron and Angel. They are leaving tomorrow and want you to come to this pinic they have set up!""Aww, we should go down there!" Leighann gawked."If it is for them, then anything!" Brian said easilly walking down the hall."Oh my God!" Kelli said almostin tears as she approached the blanket, candles, food, and people."What the?" Nick started."It is our last night with you Nick!" Angel said trying to hold back her sadness, and burning tears."Oh, Angel, I'm sorry!" Nick said picking her up and twriling her around in circles."Okay, okay, I get it! I'm going to throw-up on you.""Eww, don't do that!" Nick said quickly putting her down."I love you Nick!"Kelli stood there and watched the two, tears freely flowing down her face."Breath taking?" I asked poking her in the stomach."More then you believe!""That Prince just got better.""That Prince is Perfect!""Yep, Mr. Prince Perfect."Kelli who was still fixated on them, made a mental note to remember the name Prince Perfect, and how it came about."Well, are we hungry much?" Aaron asked."Well, he's an All American Boy!" Leighann said."I'm growing!" Aaron retorted."That excuse still works for him. I'm just hungry!" Justin said sitting on one of the four blankets."And the moment is offically over!" I said.Kelli wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and took a seat between Nick and I."So what do we have?" Brian asked."Pinic food! Sandwiches, chicken, and some cool desert!" I answered."Very nice! I like the desert!""Haha, see why my mom calls him sweetie now, Angel?""Oh!""Well, like a good boy he is going to eat the meal, and then if he is good, he will have desert," Leighann teased."Frick I feel sorry for you!" Aaron said."Hey, I wrote songs for you!""Is it always this interesting?" Justin asked."Oh you haven't seen anything, like our little Carter parties are like. Especially when they all are here," I shook my head."Good luck in the future Kelli," Justin said."She will be just fine! I think you of all people are the one we have to worry about!""Nickolas Gene Carter! You better watch what you are saying about my family!""Ames, look at all of us! Not just your family, your friends, me included.""Well, I don't know!""Great come back, Ames!" Aaron said."Thanks, Aaron!""No problem!"

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"Can we have desert now mommy?" Nick asked Leighann."Dear, I think you are getting a little to big to have anything sweet.""Brian?" Nick complained."You asked.""Well, I'm eating!" Aaron said taking out a dish."See he needs to eat some of the sweet stuff, because he needs to be sweeter.""YES! CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE!" Aaron shouted."I KNOW!" Angel yelled right back into his ear."Oh my you are going to die!" Aaron said sitting on his knees and looking directly at Angel."Aaron, Aaron, no please no!""Please what! You know, I love you Angel!""No, I hate you Aaron Charles Carter!" she said squerming around. "Nick help!""What, I haven't even touched you!" Aaron said as his hand slowly moved toward her tightened stomach."Aaron! NO!" Angel shouted before he started tickling her."Nick, HELP! Aaron, I'm going to pee on you!""No you arn't!""NICK!""Aaron come on!" Nick scolded."Fine!" Aaron said standing up beofre charging at Nick."Oh God!" Nick said trying to move away, and almost collasping on Kelli."And that is the Carter family," I said."Well, we will just eat without them!" Leighann said."NO!" Aaron shouted, and ran to sit down properly."Thank you!" Leighann said before cutting the first piece.We all quickly took a quick piece."This is heaven!" I said before putting my second bite into my mouth."No, this is heaven!" Leighann said taking a bite off of Brian's fork."HEY!""EWW, you guys are weird!" Aaron said."I want that back!" Brian complained."Here!" Leighann said giving his a quick kiss on the lips. "Better?""No! I want the chocolate.""Fine," she said rolling her eyes, and reluctently puting a bite into his mouth."Leighann! See, now Kelli wouldn't care if I took a bite of her pie!""Oh I wouldn't?" she said leaning back and protecting her food."Angel?""Nope!""Ames? Aaron?""Huh, if it means that much, you can have a bite of my pie!" Justin said."At least I got on cool friend!" he said before laughing."I'll take that!" I said and ate the pie off of his fork."That was for Nick!""He doesn't need it!""Oh, okay! You just wait!""What, revenge is hell?""Yeah, I still need to find out what that means!" Leighann said.I just raised my eyebrows and shook my head."Hey are we all packed, since the planes leave at like 5 in the morning?" Brian asked."Um, not really!" I said."We might want to do that!""Yeah, we should!" I said."Well, thank you guys!" Justin said getting up."Thanks Justin!" Angel said."My pleasure dear Angel!""You better call and tell me about him!" Angel said looking at me."You got it girlie!"
Chapter 189
~The next morning~"Guys! Ladies! Ami Elizabeth" Someone called from the other side of the door."I'M GETTING UP!" I shouted back!"You better be!" Kevin said walking away from the door.He was usually a morning person. I guess it was the thought of the plane leaving and having to get back on a schedule."Kelli, girl, get UP!" I said yanking the blankets of her body, so she groaned."GET UP! We are going to miss the plane ride!""I'm moving," she said rolling into a tighter ball."Dammit," I said throwing the blankets on the floor and opening the door. "NICK!" I shouted in the hallway.Slowly a door open across from mine. "Well, good-morning to you too!""Come wake Kelli up!""Aww, she's sleeping!""NICKOLAS GENE CARTER!""AMI ELIZABETH COLE!""Nevermind!" I said storming back in the room. It was only 3:30!I did not want to be awake, nevertheless trying to get someone else awake, just so we could make flight back to California."Kelli, get up, please please!" I begged, before Nick pushed me aside."Hey Princess! Come on, you got to get up now!" he said to gently. "Sleeping Beauty." He bent down over her face. "Princess!!" he whispered.She turned her face upward, with her eyes still closed, before he raised her head with his hand, and softly kissed her lips. Immediatly, like if some miracle she sprang up from the bed."Dear God, help me today, this morning, so I don't go crazy and regrer something!" I said looking upward, before walking out of the room.~An hour later~We all sat there, quiet in the airport, first waiting for Aaron, Angel, and BJ's flight. The sun hadn't come up, and the place had very few people occupying it. Which made it nice. No crazyness from fans, or anyone else who could have been there making noise and causing extreme headaches.Angel had her head rested on Nick chest, where she peacefully slept. On the other side, he had his arm wrapped around Kelli who now also was asleep. The others had blank stares across their faces looking at nothing important.The only was who was actually moving was Kevin. He paced back and forth throughout the airport. Why? Clueless. It was just his personality to be like that, the control. Lance had some of that in him, but he also knew when to enjoy everything around him, and just be peacefull.BOARDING FLIGHT 217 TO TAMPA FLORIDA! a voice over the speaker said. Nick nudged at his two precious girls before lifting Angel. BJ, who sat with Christina and Key, got up, and Aaron walked away from Brian. The good-byes consisted of a simple hug from each person, no words, and off the the plane.Angel did however have a few points to remind me of."Call me! I got to know what is going with you two! Well, you 16 or whatever.""I promise!" I said weakly, before she was picked up by Justin."Bye!" she said."Bye!" he said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She turned to me and winked, as I smiled.Nick said his last good-byes, and off went the Carter family. Now all we had to do was wait.
Chapter 190
~On the plane~ Short and sweet!All of us slept. We got on, sat down, and fell asleep within minutes. The plane landed in sunny northern California, we got off, went to hotel, got key's and slept till 8!~9 o'clock~After a nice cold shower, thanks to Kelli using all the hot water, I sat starring out the glass window, from the hotel's resturant.The rays of the sun were blinding yet waking, along with the sugary coffee."Top of the morning," Brian said sitting across the table from me."Hey stranger!" I said smiling."Do you know how much you look like your mom?""Oh!?""Yeah, the blank stare, amazing smile, and the way you sip at the hot coffee.""Yeah, well, I use sugar!""I can see by the ten packets spread across the table.""Well, where is you better half?""I don't know, it isn't like e are together 24/7.""And this just happenes to be one of those moments?""You could say that.""She's in the shower or having a chocolate by herself moment.""I love you too, Ames.""I know you do.""Well, what do you have planned?""For today, I have no clue! Rest possibly, depends on Britney's schedule.""Britney's?""Yep!" I said seeing my stupid slip."What happened to the little pest who begged to follow me around a few years ago.""She grew uo and you introduced her to, um, Nick, her sidekick.""Still regreting that one.""Poor Bri the small fry.""God, your memory.""Yep, my best friend. I would never let it forget that or pinky or...""Thanks for that trip. I'm going to go make a new friend now, who knows nothing.""They will be tomorrow then," I said after he stood up."Huh," he sighed, "I know!" he continued walking away.I shook my head and looked back out the window at the crystal blue sky covered with fluffy white clouds.It was a peaceful feeling watching the clouds slowly pass and the soft murmur of the traffic as it drove by. A women with two young children sat at another table and the laugher was a blissful sound.I slowly breathed in trying to capture the moment, that was until pestering younger sisters interupted."AMES!" Key shouted and practically thre the chair she was about to sit in.I just shook my head at her bouncy image."You ready to dance?!""So we got practice?""According to Christina we do.""She's getting in on it too?""Yep! We can learn Genie now.""Whoopie!" I said sarcastically, really wanting to go back into the world of pleasentry."You were the one who wanted to do all this.""I know, it will be great! But, I'm tired.""That's what the coffee and sugar is for.""YEP!""Okay, meeting in about an hour," she said skipping off, leaving me in wonderful silence.
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"Weird thing, isn't she!" JC said."Key, yeah! She is just a little crazy.""So what are you up too?""Watching the clouds!""May I?" he asked pointing to the chair."As long as you don't make any loud noises.""I think I have had enough of that today!""Oh why?""Sam is the first thing I hear, as ever so loving Tyler refuses to answer the door. Then comes Justin.""Really.""Yeah, he was in the room with Chris and oh my God, if I hear another word about Busta and his little presents, every curl on his head is going to be strait.""You do that and you hair will be a bunch of culs laying on the floor.""If it keeps him quiet, I'm willing to risk it.""JC!" Chris shouted from across the lobby."Dammit! Why do they all have to come and complain to me? WHY?""I don't know, but if I were you, I'd LEAVE!""To where?""Let's find out!" I said standing up and walking down a hallway with JC not even a stride behind me."You know they will find me.""At least it is giving you something to do.""Yeah, so where the heck are we going?""Um, let's try this door!" I said turning a knob that happened to be locked."How about this one," JC suggested opening the door that said Large Banquet Hall.""It'll work.""This is nice!" he said looking at the elaborate silver and crystal shandeliers hanging over our heads. There was a small stage with drapped red curtains and a microphone stand set in the middle. Across the room from that set a small black piano. The walls were complete glass, and it was a breathtaking sight."See, no one here to bother any though you may have,m any moment nothing.""Peace at last! Well for an hour or so.""Yeah, what are you all going to be doing?""Photo shoot, set up for tomorrow, and some confirance.""Sounds like so much fun," I said sitting on the floor."Oh it is! At least they have good food.""That's always helpful. Wy doesn't Brit have to go?""It is just an *N Sync thing!""Oh," I said shaking my head."Yep!" he said sitting on the piano bench and rnning his hands across the keys.I laid down staring at ceiling, waiting for what I knew was coming next."Oceans apart, day after day," he began to sing along with the tune he was playing. "And I slowly go insane, I took for granited all the time, but I couldn't stop the pain. I'll see you next to never, how can we stay together. Where I ever I go, whatever I do, I will be right here waiting for you."I sighed at the beauty of his voice ad how it amazingly sounded like Richard Marx."Look over here!" a voice said interupting. "Justin it is both of them!""Hey Chris," I said sitting up."Hey we got to go!""What the, why are you two in here?" Justin said walking in the room."To escape you!" JC said getting up.Justin looked at me, and I just shrugged trying to look innocent."Well, we got to go, orders and all," Chris said walking in circles. "I look really good today!""Of course you do!" I said still sitting on the floor."Well, c-ya later Ames!" JC said pulling Chris's am out the door."Good Luck!" I called after him."Okay?" Justin said standing next to me."What?""Nothing! I'm still sore from those horses though.""Aww!""Aww, yourself!" he said before leaning over and tickleing me."Hey! You go to GO!""Yep, I do!""Bye!" I said taking a deep breath."Dinner, please," he said almost begging."I guess!""Good!""Bye!""Bye," he said standing up and lifting me with him."You have to let go to lea.." I began before he took the oppertunity to kiss me.
Chapter 192
"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8," I heard for the millionth time that afternoon, as we panted for the breath of our lives."Brit this looks good!" Christina said watching from the wall, as we danced to the 8 choergraphed songs."Thanks, Ms. Lazy!" Britney said from the front of the room. "Well, we got down, Hit Me Baby, Crazy, Sometimes, Tearin' Up My Heart, God Must Have Spent, and I Drive Myself Crazy.""Yeah, and we got to work on You've Got It, and I Want You Back," I added. "Plus, we got all this MMC stuff, and some Backstreet.""We got about two weeks!" Christina said."HELLO! It isn't like this is a normal thing for us!" Key shouted."Well, at least you got most of it planned, with the parts and all.""I guess," I said shurgging. "Hey Kelli you okay?" "Yeah, just thinking.""No hospital trips?""Ames, I'm fine!""Just checking.""Hospital trips?" Christina questioned."Kelli lost it about a month ago, her body just shut down," Key revealed."Oh, gracious, poor thing!""Yeah scared the hell out of us!" I said. "So what BSB songs are we doing?""Let's see," Britney said sitting down, as we all sat next to her,a ll the singles, you know- Quit Playing Games, As Long As You Love Me, All I Have To Give, I'll Never Break Your Heart, Everybody, I Want It That Way, um""That's all of them," I concluded. "Leighann said something about doing As Long As You Love Me, and Key and I request I'll Never Break You Heart.""I like Tell Me That I'm Dreaming, That's The Way That I Like It and Anywhere for You," Kelli added. "Oh and I Need You Tonight.""Let the Music Heal Your Sould would be a nice ending," I said."Guys we can't do every single song," Key said."REALLY!" I looked at her."Okay, peice of paper!" Britney said looking through her bag.After she wrote down all the songs, we all had to pick and choice."Well, Leighann has something with As Long As You Love Me, so we can throw that to her," I began."Well, I Need You Tonight is an all Nick song," Key said."I know," Kelli sighed."Solo," the four of us said in unison while looking at her."By myself, or bye bye!" Key said to harshly.After looking apprehensive, Kelli began, "Well, um, I guess, that will work!""Key and I get I'll Never Break Your Heart!" I said."Fine with us!" Britney said."Y'all could do a medly!" Christina suggested."That's be cool, with like Quit Playin' Games, All I Have to Give, and I Want It That Way.""Well that leaves us with Dreaming, Way I Like It, Anywhere, and Everybody," Britney said reading the paper."Everybody we have to do the whole thing! It is their major song," Key said."Nick's version.""Yes, we can do that version, Kelli," Key said shaking her head."We still got three up here.""Well, the best one is That's The Way That I Like It, because it goes all around," Key said."Yep!" Britney said agreeing. "Well, let's see the line up then- by *N Sync we got God Must Have Spent, Tearin', I Want You Back, You've Got It, and I Drive Myself Crazy. Britney songs - Baby One More Time, Crazy, Sometimes, and BSB - medly with Quit Playing Games, All I Have To Give, and I Want It That Way. Everbody, That's The Way That I Like It, Key and Ames- I'll Never Break You Heart, Kelli- I Need You Tonight, and then the thing with Leighann and As Long As You Love Me.""That was a mouthful!" I said."Yeah!" Britney sighed."Anywhere For You though?" Kelli asked."You and I can do that one, duet style.""Okay!," Britney said. "And then the final one before Christina can be Let the Music Heal Your Soul!""So how long is this going to be?" Christina asked.
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"15 songs including you and Leighann!" Britney answered. "So about 75 minutes of singing and dancing, and then all the changes and talks. So guessing about 2 hours. Then MMC time!""Think they can sit that long?" I asked."They will have to," Key answered. "I'm hungry, bye!""That sounds good, lunch!" Christina said."Yep!" Britney followed."Got plans tonight?" I asked Kelli."So what are we getting?" Kelli asked me as we walked around the grocery store."Roman lettuce, noodles, sauce, cinnomin, basil, and garlic bread.""And what are we going to do with it?""Um, cook it!""How?" "With a stove!""I know that, but where?""Somewhere in the hotel.""Okay, what about desert here?""Well," I said raising my eyebrows."Um, Ames, hello!""Sorry, what should we have?""Chocolate moose!""That sounds good! Little whipped cream, mint leaf, glass bowl! Justin and a spoon!""Is there a full moon coming soon or something?""Um, wasn't it last week?""You feeling the after effect?""No, just a little dreamy!""Okay, well, if we plan on doing this let's get moving instead od daydreaming in the store!""OKAY! LET'S GO!""Excuse me? Hello? Anyone back there?" I asked at the front desk."Yes miss?" a short rounded women answered. "Actually, I was wondering if you had a small kitchen we could use, and if anyone is using the large banquet hall tonight?""Well, let me check," she said and started typing things in the computer. "The hall is free tonight, and about a kitchen, um, well I suppose you could use the small one down the hall.""Oh thank you very much!" I said and walked over to help Kelli with the bags. "This is so cool," I excitedly said."What time are they getting back?" she asked me."Um, around 6ish I think.""Okay, 3 hours! We can do this!""Go get your shower," I began. "I'll finish with the table, and settings. Can you put the things outside the doors while you go up though?""Yep!" she said walking out of the room.This was going to be a very nice night. The same room from earlier now had a table in the middle with a white table cloth, two white candles in silver holders, four places set with white china, silver utensils, and sparkling glass cups. The only thing missing was the perfect guy.
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"So is everything in place?" I asked walking through the doors."I hope, all the notes, nice clothes, dinner, desert, nice setting, um anything else?" Kelli answered."Candles we need to light them, and then for our princes to show up.""What the?" Nick said almost stepping on the rose that was in front of him, before he picked it up, and read:~~My Prince Perfect, do me a favor and give this rose to Justin for Ames! ~Kelli~~"Okay," he said looking at the note, before walking down the hall."Justin! Look we got notes!" Chris said jumping up and down!"I want to share a room with someone else please!" he said shaking his head and taking the note addressed to him from Chris.~~Hey, cutie, see the rose probably left on the ground or in Chris mouth, give it to Nick from Kelli! Oh yeah, then see Chris, if he is nice, he might tell you something. ~Ames~~"A rose for Nick? Um, Nick!" Justin said turning around."I got this rose for you," Nick began."I have this for you!" Justin said exchanging the roses."Aww, look at you two," Chris said.Justin took a deep breath and began, "Chris do you have something to tell Nick and I?""Um, well let's see this note says something about Busta and oh yeah ~Please tell those young babies to smell good and go see Brian! Ames and Kelli~""What the heck are they doing?" Justin said shaking his head."I don't know, but I guess I'll see you in about 15 minutes after a shower," Nick answered."Sounds fine to me.""Brian!" Nick shouted outside the door."COMING! My gracious, what?""Chris said to come see you!""Oh yeah, about the notes. It says ~Your turn, tell them to make sure the have their roses, and take these bears to JC!~"Brian handed them each a white small teddy bear, and they walked down the hall to see JC!"JC! Hello answer the door!" Justin said after knocking. "Tyler! Hello, guys this isn't funny!""You sure about that?" Tyler said answering the door."The things I could do to you right now.""Is JC here?" Nick asked."Um, he is on the phone give him a minute.""JC!" Justin called. "They are here, yeah, I'll get them there. Okay, bye," JC said hanging up with me and walking over to the guys."Well, hello!""Brian sent us here to give you these or something," Justin said."Keep them, but follow me!" JC said leading them downthe hall, to the elevator, and to the room, where Kelli and I were patiently waiting out of site.
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"Oh my God, what is this?" Nick asked."I think dinner!" Justin said looking at the table. "We are just missing oh about 2 people." "Well, sit down and wait," JC said."What is he doing?" Kelli asked."Considering I didn't tell him to do that, I don't know, but I can guess, since he is walking over in that direction."At the first note of the familar song, Now and Forever, Kelli and I both walked off the stage, trying to balance the plates we had picked up.The second they saw us they were up on their feet, first staring in awe. And then rushing over to take the plates."Thank you!" Kelli and I said together.The next thing I knew, I was spun around and almost hit the table."Um, yeah, we do that away from the table okay!" I said staring at Justin's pouty face."Sorry!"I just rolled my eyes, and took his hand and walked back to the open area, where he tried it again, before pulling me close to his chest, as JC song softly. The song slowly came to an end, and JC looked as if he didn't know what to do, until Kelli and Nick started clapping, from where they had been sitting.JC stood up took and bow and looked at me."Thank you very much, Mr. Marx Wannabe.""You're very welcome, Marxy girl. I'm going to go bother Tyler and Sam now.""Have fun!" Justin said as he left."Well what do we have here?" Nick asked."Some good food!" Kelli answered."So did you guys like that?" I asked."It was different," Nick answered."I liked it, especially the bear," Justin smiling." up!" Nick said."Meany!" Justin responded."Do we need a time out?" I asked."Ahh, a time out, no no, please please no!" Nick whined, until Kelli hit the side of his leg. "Oww, Sorry!"Justin of course began laughing. "Excuse, Mr. Timberlake, you better be nice," I began."See, you got in trouble too," Nick said."Oh my God, this is going to be a long night!" I said shaking my head."I say we feed them," Kelli suggested."Think it will help?""I hope so!"I passed out the nice plates with the pasta on them, and a piece of garlic bread."Smells good!" Nick pointed out nicely."Thank you!" I answered.We ate very contently, laughing at each other, and talking about some of the things we did that day. Actually more about the photo shoots, and us cooking."So you're going to teach me to cook?" Nick asked."If that is possible. You do okay with pasta though. Anything else would be scary.""I'm willing to learn though," he said unsure of himself."My dad is a good cook and he made fried chicken with sugar instead of flour.""That had to be interesting," Justin said shaking his head."Yeah, not the best!""Well, what now?" Nick asked."Piano," Justin said walking towards it. "Someone help!"The three of us walked over to him and watched as he sat down."Hey can anybody do this?" he said playing a cord over and over."I can," Nick offered."Good, do that. I got this half," and he began playing Heart and Soul."Kelli, come over here!" I said and walked back to the table.I began picking up the plates, before having her following me to the sink, and getting the desert. We walked back into the room, and they were still playing the song over and over."I think we need to seperate them," I said."Your going to make one good teacher. But yeah, I kind of like that idea.""Yeah, Justin and a spoon! Sounds blissful.""Okay, hopeless girl, I guess we'll go upstairs.""Alright, if we can get them apart.""Desert might help!""Oh yeah! HEY GUYS! CHOCOLATE!"They both sprang off the bench and back towards us."Kelli and Nick are going upstairs, c-ya later!" I said a sounding a little to anxious for them to leave, but then again I was.
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"So who made desert?" Nick asked, as Kelli opened the door."Well, while Ames, made the meal, I was working the chocolate.""I see! Hurry up, I want a hand to eat with.""I'm going.""Sorry!" he said, as she pushed the door open and walked inside where he put the stuff on the table. "Okay, now you can eat!""Thank God!" he said putting the spoon in his mouth."Good?" she asked."Try it." He took his spoon to her mouth before she licked the pudding off it. "You tell me.""I think it is good.""It is real good," he said putting another spoonful in her mouth, as she closed her eyes, and licked her lips when he pulled it away.She inhaled deeply as his fingers traced along her lips. His hand slowly moved across her cheek and then stroked her hair, before pulling her closer to him. He put the bowl down on the table, and now used his free arm to wrap around her waist and bring her ontop of his lap. When he couldn't pull her any closer, he tilted his head, and kissed her cheek, then nose, and covering her mouth with his. The taste of chocolate on his lips was sensational, in the least, as he coaxed her open her lips wider. After the first instant of shock, her fingers tightened in his hair. He rubbed his one hand along her back, while the other supported her from falling on the floor. After they both had lost all air in their lungs, she pulled away, and looked into his glazy blue eyes."That was alot sweeter," he said."Yeah," she said dreamily, through her deep breaths."You know you are so beautiful," he said before looking away."Thanks!" she said blushing."Anytime," he said lifting her chin and kissing her lips softly, before taking her hand and kissing her palm.Her breathing was subsiding as she leaned against his chest."Princess," he began, and she cold feel his muscles tighten, "you know, I love you!"With those three little words, that ment the world to her, she pulled back and looked straight into his, mouth open, and shocked."Um, okay," he said trying to figure out if his timing was right.When she still didn't respond but kept looking at him, he had to change his glance, causing her mesmorization to be broken."Are you okay?" he asked."Uh, yeah!" she manged to say."Maybe, I should um, go.""NO!""Okay," he said confused, but the next thing he knew she kissed him.Not expecting it to happen he sat up straighter, which unpurposably made Kelli to fall of his lap."Oh my God, now are you okay?""Um, yeah!" she said looking up at him helplessly.However instead of helping her of the floor, he slide down and sat next to her. Wrapping his arms around her, where she was able to lean against him, she looked up into his eyes."Nick, I love you too!"~Meanwhile still downstairs~"What the heck are you doing?" I asked as I watched Justin pace around the room."I don't know, why don't you come and try it.""Try walking around the room in circles?""Yeah, very stimulating.""Justin, are you okay?""Am I ever?""I used to think so.""You got stuff to learn. Seriously though come over here."I reluctently walked over to where he was walking around the room."You know you scare me sometimes.""Oh well! Now look at the floor as you walk, see how it kind of blends together."I was studied the ground as we walked along, noticing some what of what he was talking about, and having no clue what he was doing. All of a sudden a hand just happened to reach around my stomach, picked me up and swirled me around in circles."Um, yeah the floor is now moving really really fast.""I hadn't noticed."
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"Oh my god, I think you are going to make me throw-up!" I said laying on the ground looking at the ceiling after we had become completely dizzy."I made you dizzy?""Don't even think to tell me that I made you dizzy because you were the one walking around the room and spinning." "Yeah, but I'm not the one who looks all good, and so pick-upable.""Pick-upable?""Yeah, I'm starting a Timberlake lanuage!""Okay!" I said rolling my eyes."Anyway, you know what I meant!""Not really explain it.""Let's see, first this whole evening thing, the surprises, the little hunt, a nice dinner, really good desert, the roses, the bears, and you. You, just the whole idea, it is amazing. And you looked so cute, and your expressions, your smile," he said before coughing."Keep going.""Ames, I can't, I mean, I don't know!"I just laid there turned looking at him, not really knowing what to say. But those little things how he talked, the way he said words, the cute ways he did used his hands, His eyes that penitrated and burned your when my own, the smile that radiated out him, and how he got nervous when he was trying to be sentimental. That alone would make anyone weak."Hey, want some M&M's?" he asked."What? Yeah sure, even though we just had a whole bunch of food.""M&M's are the best baby!" he said jumping up and trying to pull me along with him. However, he didn't succeed to well, when all I did was spin around into his leg and made him collasp onto the floor again."You okay?" I said sitting next to him as he looked up."Yeah, damm!"Again I just stared down at the pitiful face as it looked up at me. Not being able to resist the temptation to lean over and kiss him, I licked my lips, and out a hand beside his head for balance, before touching my lips to his.He mumbled something, before relaxing against the wooden floor, and pulling me closer. I laid on the floor almost perpendicular to his body to keep the pressure of the kiss. It isn't that I wanted the kiss to end, but we where on a cold hard floor, in a banquet hall. It wasn't the most comfortable place. Also I didn't want to take it too far, but then again I had started the kiss. This kiss wasn't just any kiss either. It was amazing, indescribable. The colors I saw through my closed eyes were brillant, a bright red center changing to a purple, and then a blue rim. I could feel every muscle relax and tense with a single motion. His fingers were tightened in the few whisps of hair on the back of my neck, and it sent chills down my spine. And just when that feeling went away, his finger linked with minem pulling me towards him. Carefully I moved closer, but for some reason I had to remember my sister and a speech we sat through when she was a freshman and I was a sophomore in highschool. Thinking about it made my mouth twinge, and pull into a smile. Justin pulled back looking now confused. "What are you thinking?""Believe you don't want to know?""Really, I don't?" "Well, really, I was thinking about this women that my sister and I listened to, a while back.""And this started with a kiss?""Yeah, sorry to say. SHe came and talked about chasity and stuff, and really it was a great lecture. Something I appreciated greatly. However, my sister and I still joke about how she called all women lobsters who are being looked upon by evil men, and then she told us to just run away, RUN AWAY, whenever they persue anything."He looked at me like I was an idiot. Could you blame him though? A perfect kiss, somehow led me to think that."Did she talk about you girls persuing the guys?" he asked as his eyebrows drew up."No, them we were all these good little girls, who were scared to death.""Okay! So how about those M&M's?""Sounds wonderful!"
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What the heck are you doing?" I asked."Trying to break the last one in half," Justin said steering at the red M&M."Will you just eat it!""What about you? It is the last one.""Justin, it is just an M&M, I think I will be okay!""You sure!""I'm going to take the M&M!""Oh yeah! Why don't you try!?" he said waving the red M&M in my face."Because I don't want to, Jonathan!""Jonathan?""Better yet, STEVE!""You are so going to get it!" he said standing up from the carpet in the lobby and chasing me down a hall."Okay, okay!" I said panting when I had no were else to turn. "Your going to wake someone up!""I'm going to wake someone up, KARIANNE!""You know she is older than Jonathan and Steve put together?""Yeah, but they got more intelliengence then Key!""Hey, now you are just dealing with the family!""Oh yeah!""I never said said, hey hey, no!!!!!!!!" I said trying to squrim from his tickling grip."No, no, what?"I just wiggled around till my back hit a wall, and slid down it to move away."A wall, perfect timing!" he glared with eyes that continued to grow bigger."Justin, please, stop, I'm sorry!"While one of his hands remained on my stomach, tickling with pleasure, his other hand wrapped around cheek."Sorry?" he asked leaning in closer."Yeah, oh my god, need to breathe," I said as his hand went from stomach to my back."I need to breathe!""What?" I asked. "You weren't the one getting tickled."Fortunatly that isn't what he meant by breathe, because he tilted his head, inhaled deeply and pressed his lips to mine."Justin, oh, sorry, ohhhhhhhh!" Chris said turning the corner, breaking our quick contact."Hello Chris, and no don't even start.""I was just bringing you the phone, your mommy misses you!""Chris!" Justin began."He thanks you very much," I said taking the phone and giving it to Justin."I'm not through with you yet. Hi mom!"~Hi, how was the trip?~"It was great!"~And all the photo things~"We did just fine!"~Trying to get rid of me?~"No, well, kind of!"~And why would that be?~"Mom," he whined.~Oh that kind of thing~"No, not like that. Sorry, Ames!"~Ahh, the girl~"Yes mom."~Am I allowed to talk to her, considering she has stolen my baby's heart.~"You arn't going to go away?"~Justin!~"Sorry, Mom! Um, yeah, I guss you can talk to her. Ames, my mom wants to talk to you."
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"You want me to talk to her?" I asked looking at his face."You have to!" I took the phone from his hand, and shook my head."Hello?"~Hi, honey. How are you?~ she said in a southern acsent."I'm doing very well."~So is my boy treating you well?~"Better than that even."~And your not scared of all the fans and other hardships?~"No, I have been dealing with them since I was about 13."~Oh why?~"I'm a Backstreet friend."~And that would explain the meeting part. You know, Justin has only mentioned you a few times.~"Really, he talks about you all the time."~That's my boy! So are you taking care of him?~"I seriously hope so," I said shaking my head, and looking at Justin who was standing against the wall.~It sounds like it, well, if you will let me talk to him, I will leave you two alone.~"You don't have to do that!"~With his will, I really do!~"I got it, yeah here is Justin," I said passing the phone to him."Yes, Mom?"~She seems very nice. What do you think?~"Mom," he coughed.~I know she is standing right there. I want to meet her!~"I know Mom!"~I got the message, you better call me later though, I love you!~"Love you too, bye!" he finished."What was that look for?" I said after he put the phone in his pocket."A one of concern. I'm not one to have people meet on the phone.""Justin, she is your mom. Besides she was very nice.""Ahh, what have I done?""What?""You two even say the same things.""And that is a bad thing?""No, just as long as you don't, um, nevermind.""I think you already know that answer.""Well, let's see!""And what would mommmy say to this?""Go for it!" he said before closing his lips over mine."You get the feeling that they are still in there?" I said holding Justin's hand standing outside the hotel room."I can somehow assure it!""Well?""Go in!"I unlocked the door and walked through. Sure enough Kelli and Nick sat there on the floor, both asleep. Nick was leaning against the bed and Kelli was curled up with her head against his chest."We really make a good team!" I said shaking my head, still looking at them."Oh yeah," he said piercing my eyes with his. Slowly his hand cupped my cheek and leaned forward."Hum," a male voice from the floor said."And look at the perfect timing of the sleeping weirdo!" I said and glarred at him."Well thank you very much Ames!""You are very welcome Nick!""Okay, let's stop this, brother and sister thing.""Shut-up Justin," Nick and I said looking at him, as he backed away."Hi Ames," Kelli said sitting up."HI KELLI!" I said in a hoarse tone."Um, what is going on?" she asked confused."Why don't you come over here and get out of the WAY!" Justin said giving her a hand and leading her away from Nick and me."What are they doing?" she asked Justin."Nick just has some bad timing, and they apparently needed to have fight.""And we arn't stopping them?""Does it look like it?""No, but then again, what the heck are they doing?""What, you were the one who came in here and woke me up!" Nick shouted."IT IS MY ROOM!""Yeah, and I was using it!""Well, you arn't now!""Hello, the two weirdos fighting?" Brian asked opening the door."Yeah!" Kelli answered."Well, here is what you do."
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"Are you crazy?" Justin asked looking at Brian."No, I have known them to long, believe me it works.""So we are just going to stand here and do this?" Kelli asked looking horrified."Or watch them scream, which takes about 15 minutes.""That's it?" Kelli asked."15 minutes to 2 hours.""Okay, let's just do this!" Justin began. "1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4."Brian started the first note, "Rubber ducky your the one, making bath time lots of fun, rubber ducky, I'm awfully found of you! Do do de do do do do do. Rubber ducky, your the one....."I looked at Nick still steaming. At the same moment we turned and looked at the three standing there making complete fools of themselves, and began laughing."See, I told you it would work," Brian said looking between them."Bri, do we need to call your mommy?" I asked."Yeah re-visiting those baby duck days," Nick said still laughing.Justin and Kelli looked clueless, as we laughed."Bri's mommy loves that song, and she kind of gave him a nick name, and well, we tease him about it. But really he loves it.""Hey, my baby duck," Leighann said walking through the open door."My cue to leave, you are very welcome for my help. Good-night," Brian said."Nigh Brian," Nick manged to say.I just waved and Justin and Kelli were still a little hesitant to say anything."Okay, sorry!" I said shaking my head. "Brian was always good at that!""Yeah, he really was. What does he do when you and Key fight again?""Um, the girl scout song, Make New Friends.""Oh yeah!" Nick said nodding his head."Feel out of the loop?" Justin asked Kelli."Just a little.""Oh sorry!" I said feeling guilty, and walking over to the two."So, now what are we going to do?" Kelli yawned."Um, I plan on sleeping," I said streching my arms, and wrapping them around Justin's waist."Sleeping sounds good," Nick stumbled across the carpet."Good, we will see you tomorrow morning," I said."Aww, I wanna stay here," Justin whined."Yeah, you wish. Bye!""I have to go back to Chris then.""Aww, poor thing.""Not fair.""Man, will you just come on!" Nick pleaded."Fine," Justin huffed."Wait," Kelli and I said in unison as the walked towards the door."Yes," they turned around.We looked at each other, nodded and walked over to give them a kiss."Goodnight, Nick!" Kelli whispered."Love ya Princess," Nick smiled and tunred the knod on the door."Now get out!" I said still against Justin's just."And a sweet dreams to you, Ames."After they lefted and we changed into pajamas, we sat there on the beds. I had some old rerun of Full House on and Kelli sat there busily writing in her journal.Dear Journal,OMG! OMG! OMG! I think I could live happily ever after now. Princess here just got her Prince Perfect. Juliet got her Romeo. OMG! I don't even know what to say.The begining. Ames and I made this cool dinner, and then Nick and I came up to the room to be alone. We ate the chocolate moose and Sleeping Beauty was awakened. Nickolas Gene Carter said he loved me! Not just in a playing way either, but the most sweet, sincere, gentle, soft, and loving way. So which sounds better? Kelli Ann O'Hara Carter or Kelli Ann Carter or just Kelli Carter? Okay that sounded really childish, but I'm up in the clouds.Love, Mrs. Carter
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THIS IS GOING TO BE WIERD! A BREAK FROM FAN WORLD!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~QUICK THANK TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE SOME HOW HELPED ME IN MORE WAYS THEN THEY POSSIBLY KNOW! BRITTANY, MY CONSTANT REMINDER (CAN I READ YET?) TORI FOR JUST DOING WHATEVER AND NOT MAKING ME LOOK COMPLETELY CRAZY. OF COURSE ALL THE STARS, BSB, *NSYNC, BRITNEY, CHRISTINA, AARON, ANGEL, BJ, ETC. ALSO FOR MY FAMILY FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME. UM, BETH, CASEY, TYLER, AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHO THEY PLAY. MY SISTER FOR NOT KILLING ME. LYN~IF ANY OF YOU READ HER STORIES~SHE IS THE BEST AND INSPIRES TO WRITE BETTER EVERYDAY! TO ALL THE READERS I HAVE NEVER MET! e-mail me @ Amk611@aol.com! AND THEN TO GOD, FOR LETTING ME WRITE, HAVW THE TIME TO WRITE, AND GIVING ME SUCH A WONDERFUL LIFE!~~~~~~~~Okay, I know that was dorky but whatever!~~~~~~~~~~~AND NOW THE STORY!"Kelli, hello? Miss, Out of it?" I said looking at her from across the room."Huh, oh hi Ames.""Hi, you okay?""Completely," she sighed."Okay, ever since he left you have been all dreamy. Spill it!""Well, which sounds better, Kelli Ann O'Hara Carter, Kelli Ann Carter, or Kelli Carter?""He what?""No! He just said I love you. Ames, Nick Carter told me he loved me," she said flopping her head against the pillow."Aww," I said stearing at her and shaking my head."It was so perfect. I just want to scream. I feel like I could just float away.""How about you dream of Nick instead.""And what a wonderful dream that would be.""Good night Kelli," I said switching off the light."Night!"
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~A Week Later~"Okay we have 4 days to finish this stuff! We are still not moving as well on the Backstreet songs, and we need to come up with an order!" Britney instructed."We are doing the best we can. Why don't we go through the numbers a few more times, and then worry about the order tonight, and work it in tomorrow?" I suggested."Sounds like a good plan," Key said."Okay, well let's get going then!" I said jumping up."Five, six, seven, eight, ~ I'm I original, I'm a sexual, I'm I the only one," we all began for what seemed like the millionth time that day. We had been working non stop, and I swear I was dancing in my sleep. It was crazy, but we had four days left till we would be in Washington and have to set up the stage, work the lights, and worry about the MMC cast. Things were getting hetic, and we were wearing out.However, we kept going, and Kelli was becoming stronger with the idea of singing alone on stage. At first, she was very apprehensive, and couldn't even do it front of us. Now she belts it out. It is amazing what a week can do. Nevertheless, we had no one to choreograph the Backstreet songs. Leaving that up to us. Britney and I some how got the job of splitting up the songs and working with them to fit what we could do. The moves we had made up were simple but looked good. Everybody, seemed to be the hardest song, because we were teaching ourselves from the video. Since it has become their signature song, we had to use their moves, and it was slowly coming along. "That seemed to be better!" Kelli said as the song ended."Yeah, we are getting there. So far it isn't as smooth as the other songs, but it is good," Britney responded."Oh, Kelli, are we going to work on Anywhere For You tonight?" I questioned."We better! I like how it is a slow, easy moves!" said she.Key and I had had our dance steps for I'll Never Break Your Heart since the song had come out."Thinking about that, Ames, are we doing the MMC song?" Britney asked me."If we got the time!""We can make the time!""Dead yet?" I asked looking at Kelli's worn out face/"No, but getting there. My feet hurt so bad, and all I want to do is take a nap.""You know that might be a good idea.""But, we got this stuff to do.""Kelli! Hello, not to sound like a pesty rude annoying crazy girl, but your eyes are turning purple, and I'm not visiting another hospital.""Fine," she sighed walking into the room and laying down.The second her head touched the pillow, she was out. I had been worrying about how she had been taking all the work, but she was looking good. We hadn't been telling her, but we were constantly making her drink the water, and breathe so she wouldn't pass out.I decided to take a walk and let her sleep.I walked down the hall, where music was coming from, and pried open the door to see what was going on inside the room."Oh my God!" I said trying not to make to much noise."Oh my God what?" Christina said walking behind me, with Britney."Come look at this!""What the?" Britney said looking through the door.
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"Damm he is good at that though," Christina said."Yeah, but he is a he and no a she," Britney responded.I just stood there looking threw the door, bitting my lip so I wouldn't laugh."I gotta go join him!" Christina said bursting through the door and picking up the steps with the moves.Justin just stood there, his face had gone from ta deep consentration to beet red. "Why are you stopping, we were just getting to the best part," Christina said before singing, "Licking you lips and blowing kisses my way, that don't mean it's gotta be today..."Britney walked in clapping, and by that time, I was laughing so hard I could barly stand up. Yet, Justin stood there as if he were in a state of shock.Christina kept moving to her voice in the background but slowly losing her composer, until she finally collasped doing a spin."So what were doing?" Britney asked.He stood there. Nothing came out of his mouth, nothing moved, he was just there."Jjjuuuusssstttiiiiinnnnnn," Britney waved her hand in front of his face.When he still didn't move, it began to worry me. After straiting up I walked over to where he was standing."Hello, I can tell you are thinking something, your face is all red," I said getting closer."Okay, so maybe we should have just been watching from the door," Britney said.I walked over and touched his limp hand, and with that little movement, he collasped onto the floor and began laughing."Okay," I said before I started laughing again.The four of us laid on the floor laughing for awhile till we had to stop and catch our breaths."Okay, so now will you explain to us what you were doing?" Britney asked."Wasn't it pretty obvious?" Justin answered."Okay better question. WHY?" Christina said."Because it was the song on the tape Darron made us to warm up to, and was just feeling it.""Just feeling it huh?" I asked."You know, getting down with my bad self!""Bad self?" I said trying not to laugh."Okay, I say we leave ghetto boy here!" Christina said getting up."What?" Justin asked looking innocent."Oh nothing, I just need to call your mom!" Britney said."My mommy loves me!""And hates the way you talk!""Kelli," I said nudging the side of her. "You ready to go? She clumsily rolled over and placed her feet on the floor, while nodding her head."Good!"After she yawned, we walked out the door and down the hallway to Nick's room."Hey Nicky you ready?" I asked walking into the room."Yes! And stop calling me that!""Poor NICKY!""AMES! I swear you arn't going to have a head in a second.""Guys! Quit it!" Kelli exclaimed sleepily from the door."Hi, Princess," Nick said walking over to her side."Thanks for noticing me too!" she replied rolling her eyes.
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After having a quick bite to eat the hote resturant, and a quiet drive to the venue, we sat in the normal seats and watched the soundcheck."So Leighann did you finish the tape yet?" I asked."What tape," Tyler asked."Honey, you don't need to know," Sam said."Ames, it is almost done," Leighann answered finally."What tape?" Kelli asked."THE TAPE LEIGHANN IS MAKING FOR LATER!" Key yelled."I got the point!" "Why can't we tell Tyler anyway?" I asked."Yeah, why can't you tell me?""Because your a guy!" Key said."And your a freak. Tyler if you promise not to tell anyone, including JC, I'll tell you.""Promise with all my heart.""Hey!" Sam slapped his arm."Oh you know what I meant.""Okay, anyway, Britney, Kelli, Key and I are planning a show kinda thing. Leighann is making a vidoe for the song 'As Long As You Love Me' and when we finish we got a nice little surprise.""And that would be what?" he asked me."MMC members!""That explains Christina's appearance.""Exactly, but if you tell your dead!" Key said."If you don't watch it I'm going to promise on your life and then break it.""Oh so scary Tyler!" Key said walking closer to him."Guys, shut-up!" Leighann said."Oh, what a joyous thought Leighann," I said."Hey you too! Bri's singing.""Oh God!" I said turning to look at Kelli."Nick's part is coming!""And another day in crazy land!""HAS ANYONE SEEN JOEY?" Chris shouted into the microphone."DID YOU CHECK HIS DRESSING ROOM?" JC asked."No!""What are they doing down there?" Kelli asked."Joey is missing once again," I replied.He wasn't missing, just hiding. He had been doing that for the past few weeks. He was always on the phone with Brooke. Personally I found it to be great, but then again, she had made it clear that nothing would happen between them. However, she never ceased to answer the phone. It confused me, I would have never led on a guy like that, but maybe it wasn't her fault. You could tell she liked him, but it would be hard to deal with that type of relationship. Nevertheless, Joey was head over heels infatuated with just her voice alone."That boy is crazy, but you know it comes with the territory," Key said."Yeah, and so do you.""I know you love me too, sis.""Okay, scary little thing.""Hey when are we getting costumes for the show?" Kelli asked."Soon, I would hope."
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~2 days before~"You want me to wear that green thing?" I said flipping through more racks."What's wrong with it?" Britney asked."Um, you can wear it!" I said shaking my head at the green shinny way to tight top.Kelli, Key, Christina, Britney and I had been in the mall now for hours. Christina and Britney of course looked rediculous with the outragous clothing and hats, but we were running out of days."This is cute," Kelli said picking up a light blue T-Shirt."That is cute!" Key exclaimed.It actually wasn't that bad. It was just a matter of what songs we would wear it for. We had already finished most of the show, these were the ones we would need for the last few songs, and then we had the duets to do."Would this work guys?" Key asked."Do they have it in different colors?" Christina shouted back."YES!" Key said, drawing an unwanted attention to herself.Kelli softly hit the side of her arm and shook her head. Britney, Christina, and I walked over to where the other two were standing and looked at the shirts. "I want the minty colored one," Kelli said."I like the purple," Britney added."I'll take the blue then!" I said picking up the blue one while they all gave each other glances."We need a name for us!" Key said. "You know, we got the blue obessed Justin, green Nick, Lance, and then me, plus Christina now!" "Lordy, we can think about that later, what color are you two going to get?" Britney said."Me?" Christina asked startled."Well, our opening act is coming back out to do the finale song, that is before Ames and I amaze eveyone.""I guess I'll do yellow," Christina said, and Key picked up a orange one."Right sizes?" Britney asked. "Better be, we still got places to go.""Oh my God, my feet feel like, like, they don't even exsist," I said ploping onto the bed with the two big bags, each one of us had."Thank God, it is done!" Kelli replied."There is a show tonight, I have no clue how they are going to do it!""We are going right?" Kelli asked seeming nervous."Of course! Let's try to organize this stuff and move it for our ride on the bus tonight so tomorrow we can unload and rehearse and then meet all the people.""Sounds like a good idea.""WE ARE OFF TOMORROW!" Chris ran down the halls of the hotel."God he is going to die!" Justin said sitting on the end of the bed in my room."Let him enjoy it, besides he will sleep tonight and not keep you up.""What a good point. If I have to share a room with him, I'm going to kill him and who ever assigned the rooms.""He can't be that bad.""Ames, he never sleeps! Never! I swear by it.""I got the point!""Well, I guess I'm going to go load up all my stuff to the bus. You going to ride with us?""No, I actually need some sleep tonight.""Gee, thanks!""Your very welcome," I said a lightly brushed my lips against his. "C-ya tomorrow, after I wake-up!""Okay," I said nodding like he was crazy. "Bye!"
Chapter 206
"Ames we could use some help!" Key shouted."Huh, I'm comng," I responded still with mouth guwking at the beautful site.We had just arrived at the stage we would be performing at. From what Britney had told us, this was far more amazing. I was picturng a small stage and a few open seats. It wasn't as big as one of the areanas that I was used to seeing everyday, but it was nice.The stage was about 50 feet wide and 20 feet long. The floor was wood, making it easier to move with the choerography. There were about 500 seats in the small room, reminding me of a college auditormium. The stage was low enough to the ground that we didn't need stairs to jump down into the audience. Sorry to say but I was awe strucken just by te sight and I hadn't been back stage yet."AMI ELIZABETH!" Key screamed from the stage again."I'M COMING KARIANN MARIE!" I said while trouting down the stairs and jumping on the stage. If I thought the sight outside the stage was good, backstage was even nicer. Yeah none of us had our own dressing room, but I was starting to wonder how we had offorded it. The room had a long table surrounded by lights, outlets, and closets, and it was just so...cool."Ames, we got to set up all our stuff set up and get everything in order, hopefully before everyone else shows up," Britney instructed."Um, okay, where am I needed?" I asked."First did you talk with Sam, Tyler, and Leighann?" Christina asked."It was the first ting I did when I woke up.""Good, now how about we fit all our stuff in that room and get the other two ready for the millions of others!" Britney ordered pacing back and fourth."I'll get to that right after I make sure you take a chill pill!""Sorry Ames, but usually all I have t do is show up and sing, ths stuff is all ready and we only have an hour before people show up and then another 2 before Christina begins. There is so much to do and," she rambled."Take a deep breath, things will work out. Now let's get moving.""Wait a second," Key interupted, "Where's Kelli?""Kelli? You okay?" I asked sitting next to her in the seats facing the stage. "Ames it is today, I have to get up there and do this in front of eveyone.""Nervous?""Ames, I'm going to throw-up right here.""Well, I'm not going to tell you to picture them all in their underwear for certain reasons. First, it will make you laugh, and really it isn't that great of a picture Also, The thought of you thinking about Justin that way is well, me being jealous."That comment made her smile, but I could still see the fear in her eyes."A very wise man, known as Kevin Richardson, once told me that if you get nervous just close your eyes and sing for yourself. Of course you can always look at one person and dedicate it to them," I said nudging her with my elbow."I just hope don't get up there and fall on my butt or even better off the stage.""Kelli, you will be fine, now let's go before all these strangers show up."
Chapter 207
"Okay, guys, these are the guys!" Britney said while Christina walked around hugging everyone."Hi guys,"I started. "I'm Ames!""Oh yeah," Christina said. "That is Ames, Kelli, and Key! These are Joshua, Rhoda, Nita, Ricky, Tate, Jenn, Terra, Matt, Kevin, Marc, Keri, Tony, TJ, Dale, Nikki, Ilana, and Ryan."Key nudged my side, while whispering in her seducive voice, "Ryan.""Wow, she remembers one person's name!" Christina said."Hey think we can go through that again?" I asked."Yeah," Britney said all bubbly. "This is Josh," she introduced and he shook our hands. "Rhoda and Nita, then we have Tate, and Ricky, and Jenn, and Terra." We all said hi, and Britney moved onto Matt, Kevib, and Marc. "This is Keri, and her guy Tony, and over here is TJ my cool guy and Dale. Nikki, in the upcoming group Innocense. Ilana, my big sis, an of course...""Ryan," Key tried to purr."And Ryan," Britney said shaking her head."I assume that is Key!" Ryan said shaking her hand. "Kelli is the short quite, but cute one, and Ames, I'm not allowed to even look at.""That is Justin's best friend kinda!" Christina said."Oh, got it," I said, "he's the one with the pie and everything.""Yep!""Hi," I said shaking his hand and looking away. "Hey, I won't tell.""Good, cause I feel kind of rude.""Ryan, we always knew you were rude," Christina said."So what are we going to be doing?" Ilana asked."You all sing after we do, but first let's get all this stuff in the rooms and get you all set up," Britney said. "Girls over there and boys over there!" Christina motioned."Oh my god, oh my god! They are all coming in now!" Kelli said pacing back and fourth. "I know, deep breaths! Where is TYLER?!" I said trying not to sound upset."RIGHT HERE!" he shouted from behind me and made me jump."Dammit, don't do that! Are you going to be ready?""Ames, I got it covered. If you all got the curtains, and singing and dancing, I can work the lights and the sound.""And Sam?""Will be with me!""About ten minutes, we will cue you!""Okay, I'm going, oh by the way get Kelli some water.""We are working with her."All ten of the guys were sitting down and then some. Leslie, who I hadn't seen in a while, was sitting out in the audience. Nick hadn't told me she was coming, maybe he didn't know. Also, to my surprise, there sat Trip to the left of Justin."Hey, he hasn't changed much," a voice said from behind me."Huh?" I asked turning around."JC," Ilana answered. "And Justin has gotten alot bigger.""AMES!" another person shouted."Busy person here," Ilana said with a gleam in her eye as she kept looking out the curtain."Yeah, too busy. Yes, Leighann?""Here is the video I made, and I'm going to end up killing you for the stuff I went through trying to get them all here. Bri, Nick, and Kev were willing, but AJ, Howie, and then Sam and Tyler needed help! Oh my god girl this better be good.""Yeah, I love you too Leighann!""I'm going to go sit down and try to avoid Chris.""Wait, what about Joey?""Sam was talking with her!""So she is here?""Yes Ames, all plans in order, bye!""Leighann thanks, bye!""Okay guys five minutes!" Britney said walking through the backstage."Oh my god 5 MINUTES!" Kelli said paled faced.
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"Five minutes! We still need a name!" Key said running around."We do!" I said handing Kelli a water bottle."What should it be?" Key said walking around us in circles."Back *N Sync girls!" Kelli suggested after taking a sip of water."BAKKC! BACKK! ABCKK! um anything with the initails?""Not really!" I said shaking my head."Hello ladies," Ryan said walkig up to us."Hey, what would you name a girl group?" Key asked."Um, Sweeties! Give me a sec.""What are we doing?" Christina asked while walking by."Coming up with a name for the 5 of us," Key said."Huh, good thing, since we are running out of time.""Throw something someone!" I said."Grace, Dreamers, Flowers!" Ryan said."Sunrise, Pop Diva's, I don't know," Key said."Fantasy, Heartbeaters, come one something," Ryan blurted."Hey, I like Fantasy!" I said."Yeah, that sounds good, what about Fantasy 5?" Kelli agreed."Well?" I asked looking at the other two.After looking at each other they both shouted in unison, "BRITNEY!"Britney ran over to where we were and looked as if horror had hit her face."What?""We came up with a name for us!" Key said."Lordy, when you screamed like that I thought something went wrong.""No, but do you like Fantasy 5?" Christina asked."Actually I do!""I came up with it," Ryan said bostfully."We know you did!" Christina said down talking him."You ready?" Britney asked."Yep the first member of Fantasy 5 is ready to go take the stage.""Oh god, it is starting!" Kelli said."Precious, calm down, you'll do fine," Ryan smiled."See, we all believe in you," I said thanking Ryann with my eyes as he nodded."Okay, more water, lip gloss, deep breath, okay, I think I'm okay!" she said standing up straight and waking over to the curtain. "Who is sitting next to?""His little sister Leslie! She'll love you!" I answered, hoping it wasn't going to cause her more pressure."I guess I have to impess her then!""And the best way is to go out there and let your heart take over," Ryan added."That's all I have left to give now!"Christina ran off the stage breathing heavely as the curtains were drawn down, and there stood the four of us physically ready to perform. After we all held hands for a second and took a deep breath, we took stage, turned our backs to the audience, gave Tyler the signal, and the curturn rose and music began.The first few notes were the worst, we couldn't see there expressions, and the adreniline level was pounding worse then bricks. What made my stomach do a bigger flop, was I had the first line, and my throat seemed to just stop. I took a deep breath, and with the music turned around and began with the steps.
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I started squeakly, "You're all I ever wanted, you're all I ever needed, (deep breath)so tell me what to do now, when I want you BACK!"I looked over at the others after I finished the intro and sighed with relief that I had done it. Britney was of course perfect, as always, especially since none of this was new for new, Key you could say was being 100% herself, with the faces and hyper dancing. Kelli, still looked nervous, but she was dancing none the less, and it looked good. It was like she hit the stage and just gave up worrying.That was until a nice femine voice had to scream."Ames! I'm going to have your baby!" Leighann shouted causing me completetly mess up the steps and hold back laughter.There sat Brian to her right, just staring at her, and his face wasn't making my recovery any easier. I took a deep breath and picked up with the steps directing my eyes toward Nick."It's hard to say I'm sorry, it's hard to make up things I did and done," I sang trying to sound clear.The song ended and the next one picked right up. Key belted with the hey yeah to 'That's The Way I Like It!"The next part was the real test, Kelli first true singing part. I had Justin and Brian, Key sang AJ and JC, Britney covered herself, Lance, and Kevin. Kelli was left with Nick, Chris, and Joey. Poor Howie didn't wasn't really dedicated to one person, we all sang him.Kelli began weak, "Somebody told me you were not my type, so have I lost my mind," she closed her eyes, took a breath and kept dancing. "You keep on doing all the things I like you got me hypnotized, but that's the way I like it."I looked out towards Nick who was smiling and pointing at Kelli, while saying something to Leslie. Thank god he wasn't being Nick and making faces at her.Kelli finished her part, and Key took hers, and then me mine. The song ended and the four of ran of to either wing, while the music to the next song began.Britney walked out and started singing. We three followed with her dance moves. I turned by Kelli and whispered, "Good job!"She just smiled and continued dancing. We pranced to the side and brought out folding chairs for the cheography and I placed one down for Britney, and kept singing and dancing. The song ended with us kickibng our leg up and dropping to the floor. The next move, we spun on the floor as You Got It began. The second the fast beat began we jumped up and started moving. My favorite part of that song was when it slowed down and we danced in the little line.The song seemed to end quickly and I was out of breath from dancing and trying to sing without the constant heavy breathing. We had 2 minutes after that song to change."Hey short cake!" Ryan called after Kelli, "You did very well.""Thanks," she commented and closed the door to the dressing room, where Ryan looked at it for a moment before turning around and shaking his head.
Chapter 210
The four of us hurried around changing out of the gym like outfits into silver pants and black tank tops. Not one of us cred where the clothing landed or if we were being modest; we needed to change and fast."Come on guys!" Christina said standing outside the door.We all walked out at the same time and took a drink from the water bottles that rested on a chair. "Que Tyler!" Britney said as we carried stools onto the stage and the curtain was parted.Kelli took a deep breath holding a microphone in one hand and gripping the stool for dearlife. The lights turned on blinding us and the music began. "Lying in your arms so close together, didn't know just what I had," Kelli sang while her knuckels were turning white. "Now I toss and turn cause I'm without you.""Close your eyes," Christina said from the side, and Kelli did just that. "How I'm missing you so bad, where was my head, where was my heart, now I cry alone in the dark," Kelli continued more relaxed, releasing her grip and swaying to the music.She finished and the chorus began and then I sang, while watching Justin's face that was watching me.Then of course Key. "Why didn't I know (us:how much I loved you baby) Why couldn't I show" she sang while getting up from her stool and jumping up and down.The next comment threw her off course though. "Yeah baby, DUMP AND GRIND!" Chris shouted.Key coughed and looked the other direction still singing."Christopher," JC nudged him, "What the heck was that?""She has screamed at me before!" JC just rolled his eyes.We finished the song and took the stools to the side before we started the Quit Playing Games/All I Have to Give/I Want It That Way medley.The tune to Quit Playing Games started and picked up with the easy dance steps, I began singing. "Baby, oh, even in my heart I see your not being true to me, deep within my soul I feel nothing's like it used to be," I sang stearing directly at Brian and smiled when he shook his head. "Sometimes I wish I could turn back time, impossible as it may seem, but I wish I could so bad."We went into the chorus, and I continued singing the lead into All I Have to Give where Kelli took over. "I don't know what he does to make you cry, but I'll be there to make you smile," she sang almost breathlessly as she looked at Nick. Her voice wasn't strained and although she was dancing, it looked asif she were floating. The nerves seemed to disappear.We finished that segment with the 4 of us doing that little hand thing in the middle, and moved into I Want It That Way. We picked up the song in the middle with Key, "Am I your fire, your one desire..." and went into Britney singing Kevin with Key as AJ. We concluded that song with the last few notes of Quit Playing Games."Sometimes I wish I could turn back time, impossible as it may seem, but I wish I could, so bad, baby," I sang. The chorus was good, I liked having the lead over the others.That song ended and we went right into Sometimes. Britney was always doing a good job at singing and dancing. Really though that is what she lived to do, and she did it well.After that song we had another change of clothing. Key and I were to go on next and do I'll Never Break You Heart. I was in a pink blouse with a black shorts, and she wore a red shirt with black capri pants."Well, you ready Key?" I asked scared because I knew what was going to go down when we got out there."You better believe it," she laughed with an evil grin on her face."Good luck guys!" Kelli said."Oh same to you, get some water, and BREATHE!" I responded. I walked past Ryan and he smiled. "Hey do me a favor and don't let Kelli pass out because she goes on next.""Yes, ma'am!""Thanks!"
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Key walked out into the dark and sat on the side of the stage and the music began,"From the first day that I saw you smiling face, honey I knew that we would together forever."I slowly walked out and looked into Key's eyes before sitting next to her. "When asked you out, you say no but I found out, darling that you've been hurt, you thought that you'd never love again, I deserve a try honey, just once, give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong." I finished before we both slide off the stage and nodded at each other.Key began, "You walked in....." and we contined through the chorus.Key being the for upfront person was the first to do some moves. My stomach on the other hand had some butterflies in it.Ky went right up to AJ and first kneeled before sitting on his lap, and singing.When it came to my part again, I slowly walked over to Brian and Leighann. Taking Brian's hand I sang, and then placed it in Leighann's. I continued walking and while Key was singing I whispered a hello to Leslie. Chris tried to smack me but JC pulled his arm away, and when I finally reached my last desination, I turned and looked at Key who was now in front of Nick and watched her nod. There I was singing, and I had Justin's full attention. I slowly lowered myself, until he helped me by wrapping his arms around my waist, and pulling me down. I took a deep breath when I could and continued. God bless JC for keeping Chris contained or I would I have not been able to finish. While all I could do was sing and look into Justin eyes, Key had Leslie trying to kick her away from Nick.I quickly kissed Justin, waved at Trip and made my way back up on stage to do Brian's ever most famous move, of bending over with good emotion. Leighann I think liked that a little to much, and then Key joined me.We finished the song facing each other. Now it was Kelli's few minutes of stardom.Kelli looked scared though, as she ignored everything Ryan was trying to say to her."Kelli, you gotta go out there. Listen we all going to be watching you, and if you do this like every other song, you'll be just fine," I said trying to calm her nerves once again."I know," she whispered and took a deep breath. "It's now or never, I'm, I'm ready," she said."Oh you know you look awesome too!" Ryan shouted."Watch it or Nick will be on your butt," I said.She did look cute though. She had on a pajama outfit, covered with clouds and the word Princess, fitting her nickname perfectly. She wore the whie tennis shoes she had been wearing the whole show though.She closed her eyes and waited for the music. It began and she shifted like she had a chill. The first few lines were so quiet and weak, "Open up your heart to me, and say what's on your mind, I know that we have been through so much baby, but I still need you in my life this time." She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, before continuing, "I need you tonight, I need you right now, I know deep within my heart it doesn't if its wrong or right," and then it was like she lost her voice. She looked over at me and moved her mouth with the song, but nothing came out. Then, at the second that it looked like she was going to cry, a voice appeared. Kelli jumped, and turned around. I stood there almost ready to cry as Nick took the microphone and placed it between himself and Kelli as he sang. For the first few seconds she just stood there and looked up at him, but finally she joined in, "Then what we have is so right this time, I need you tonight, I need you right now......"The two just stood there swaying back and forth looking no where else but at each other. They held out the long note, and when the song was over she rested her head against his chest."Kelli, I love you!" Nick said. A tear rolled down her cheek and she was able to respond, "I love you too!"Everyone who was watching clapped, they stood, and leave it to Leighann and Key to scream. Tyler slowly turned the lights down, and asked Britney what to do."Um, get the next scene set up, give them a few minutes."
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A screen fell as Nick walked off the stage, and Kelli floated backstage before taking a sip of water. "Looks like Princess was saved by her Prince Charming once again!" Key teased."Oh, shut-up your just jealous," I sneered back."Me jealous of the ever most annoying Nick! Really don't see that happening.""Whatever, does Tyler have everything ready up there?" I asked Britney."Well, considering I can hear something, I would think that would be right.""Thanks," I said and slipped out the side door to the seats because I wanted to see what Leighann had created. 'As Long As You Love Me' began just as the music video does. Then it was cut to show Brian and Leighann's frist New Year's Eve party. She had her little black dress, while he was dressed formally with a black jacket and the lavendar tie I had given him in 1991, when I was 10. The scene changed to Nick and I beating each other up with pillows until Brian and Leighann walked into the room and we bombared them instead. Then it went into the video again where Brian looks at Leighann. Then you see Brian and Leighann in the 'I'll Never Break Your Heart' video. Then it showed Brian playing with Tyke when they had just gotten him. My glance changed to where Brian and Leighann were sitting, and she had her head on his shoulder and he gently rubbed his hand across her back. If anyone, they were the two that would last forever.I turned back to the screen. There was the whole group up in New York visiting Nick's grandparents. We had snow everywhere. Then you saw the two snow angels that were made earlier that day with a heart between them. How Leighann did all the copying and editing was amazing. The song ended with Brian tickling Leighann, and then the words 'For My Better Half, Love, Leighann!'When it ended I ran back down the small hallway to the side of the stage. The four of us again returned to the stage this time carrying microphones stands with us. We all wore white, thin baggy shirts and pants. The song which came next was probably the easiest one we did, with choreography and moving. However, it was one of my favorites. "Can this be true, tell me can this be real," I began as we all swayed to and forth with the peaceful beat. I closed my eyes and it seemed all reality was lost. I didn't bother me to have all my friends wathcing me, or how bad I sounded singing. The only singer on stage was Britney anyway. However, I couldn't hear myself singing, I knew my mouth was moving, and I was singing, but a sort of peace flowed over me. We sang the chorus, and without thinking I moved my arms up and down. Key began with JC's segment.I was in some sort of place. That was until something fit my side, and I opened my eyes."And I'm trying hard to figure out, just how I ever did without, the warmth of your smile," Key sang while throwing another penny.I coughed and tryed not say anything, but another penny flew across the stage and fit the side of my head, I had had enough."Key, stop!""Your soul is like a secret that I never could keep," she sand proudly while tossing another penny."AJ wannabe, stop it!""I know that it true, God must have spent!"Then from the kindness of the audience, a song began.Brian stood up and began singing as loud as he could, "OLD McDONALD HAD A FARM!"He was joined by Leighann, Nick, AJ, Howie, Kevin, and then those *N Sync guys. Tyler had softened the background music, and Kelli and Britney were now singing with everyone else."AND ON THAT FARM HE HAD A KARIANNE! E-I-E-I-O! WITH A WAH WAH HERE AND A WAH WAH THERE!" Brian lead.The second verse of the song was even worse. "ON THAT FARM HE HAD AN AMI LIZ! E-I-E-I-O! WITH A WHINE WHINE HERE AND A WHINE WHINE THERE, HERE A WHINE, THERE A WHINE, EVERYWHERE A WHINE WHINE! E-I-E-I-O!"Key and I looked at each other, shook our heads yes, and jumped off the stage.Brian backed up as far as he could into the chair. Key and I stood over him looking down."I don't think so!" Leighann said, pushing her way between Key and I."Oh whatever, this little baby duck is going down!" Key said.
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"Ami Liz! What was that about wannabe AJ?" AJ shouted!"Just refering to you lovely livelyhood and crazyness!" I commented. "Now Brian, I could hurt you right now, but I have better things to do!""I DON'T!" Key said and whipped her hand in the air, before Leslie pulled her arm down. "Hey, that was some cool moving up there! Have anymore songs you are going to do?" she asked."After I kill Brian and his Wah wah wah's!""Guys, we still alot to do!" Christina said now coming on the stage. Slowly I walkd up back to stage, pulling Key along.I quickly ran through the backstage with a water bottle, in the shinny pastel purple shirt and flairy satan black skirt. "Kelli come on!" I shouted, as she paced behind me, in her green blouse and satan tight black pants. We each held a microphone, many yellow roses, and a bright red rose in hand as we walked onto the dark stage.I walked to the other side before Tyler hit us both with blinding spot lights. The soft tune began. Slowly, as if we could barely walk, we glided towards each other."I'd go anywere for you," we sang smiling, at each other before turning to walk down the middle of the stage. While continuing to sing, we sat on the edge of the stage, and glared at each other before hopping off the stage. Still singing, Kelli and I walked across the filled first row and walked in different directions. We had split up the group before knowing the seating so it was going to rather arrangement, but we went through with it.The seating went Lance, Kevin, AJ, Leighann, Brian, Leslie, Nick, Justin, Trip, JC, Howie, Chris, and Joey. I started with handing Chris a yellow rose and Kelli gave one to Lance. As we moved to the center, I went through Trip, Brian, Leighann, and AJ. Kelli gave a rose to Kevin, JC, Howie, and Joey. Still each holding a single yellow rose and the red rose, we again joined in the center. "I used to think that dreams were just for sentamental fools," I sang."And I never find someone to give their love so true." Kelli continued, while we looked at each other, and held our hands. I let go, and watched as she handed Nick her red rose, and he gently kissed her hand, causing her to skip a word.I took my red rose, walked past the guy I was supposed to give it too, and stopped when I reached JC. Looking at his eyes, I winked, and he raised his eyebrows. Halfway givng him the red rose, I passed him, and leaned over Trip.Kelli watched as I was fooling around, and Nick was holding her hand still.Finally after glaring at Trip for a second and sticking my tongue out as I sang, I had reached my destination. Holding the rose above Justin's head, teasing him, he finally pulled on my skirt, and I lost balance, causing me to fall back towards Trip, with the rose held abpve my head. Kelli skipped another word as I yelp from the sudden occurance. After the moment of shock, Trip very lovingly, pushed me back up towards Justin. He, in turn, grabbed the red and yellow rose, instead of steading me. Still trying to singing my lines, I rocked onto my toes, and put a foot back so I wouldn't fall head first into Justin's lap. After smelling the roses, he looked up at me, smiling, like an innocent puppy. I shock my head, but couldn't help the smile, as he looked devilishly adorable. I took the yellow rose back, and turned to Kelli. Prying her hand from Nick's, I spun her around and we walked over to Leslie. Both still holding a yellow rose, we gave them to her. After looking at both us with inquistive eyes, he looked at Nick and nodded her head in appreciation. We finished out the song and walked back on the stage to change for our last dance.
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"Hit me baby one more time!" We song the last lines of the songs. We tore off the little plaided velcrowed skirts and white button down top, while throwing them to the side, revealing the short black jean shorts, that matched the shirts we had picked."Baby I don't understand, just why we can't be lovers," Key bursted, while the rest of us kept up speed with the dance moves.We were now joined by Christina and these last three songs were the ones we had practiced and gone over and over till we had it perfect. Still after all that we practiced some more. The best part was, we looked GOOD! We all danced in unison, jumped, spinned, fell, all at the same time. When the lyrics, "I am down on my knees," were sung, we all went down on one knee, changed to the other and turned, before standing up and kicking. I know the smile on my face at that moment couldn't have gotten any bigger, and instead of thinking about doing this for all those watching me, I was doing it for myself. I was enjoying every minute of it. It had taken a long hard 3 weeks of preparation, and nwo this was the extreme payment. All the guys were sitting out there smiling and looking up, they looked amazed and to see what they got to see everytime they performed was incredible. I now understood why they never gave up, never got tired, and why they constantly were giving themselves 110%.The words kept flowing, and the moves were done with divine smoothness. We ended Tearin' Up My Heart just as *N Sync always does in that exact form, before we then ran to the side where the dry ice machine had already been started.The tune to Everybody began and we walked out and I let my heart take over. Kelli had seemed to loose all nervousness, Key being herself, was trying to be comical, and Britney and Christina were perfect as usual. After the song ended, we all took a big dow and four of us ran off the stage. Britney and I still had "I'll Take You There" left to perform, and then you had the big finish with "Let the Music Heal Your Soul!" and of course bringing out the cast of MMC.However, while Brit and I changed Key and Kelli were getting other things ready, and Christina was making an announcement. "You like it so far?" she screamed.Of course they all yelled, they were supporting us. "Good! Before we get to these last few encore songs we would be very delighted to give a very special person, a very special surprise. Now with no further introduction, sorry, I always wanted to say that. Anyway, here is.................................
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"BROOKE!" Christina shouted into the microphone.Everyone sitting in the audience grew silent as all eye were turned from the stage to Joey. It was hard to tell if he was either going to scream because of excitment or complete shock. His mouth was gawked open and his eyes were fixated with the figure that walked onto the stage. "Hey guys!" Brooke said into the microphone. "I got a call last week or so, from Ames, asking if I would care to join them in some presentation they were doing. All expenses would be paid, and well there was some other details that I shouldn't get into to. So deciding that I had nothing better to do then annoy my family and friends back home in Maryland, I flew out here last evening."Joey by this time, was starting to realize that he had to continue breathing and stood up. Brooke's eyes who were once scanning the crowd now looked directly at Joey. Giving the microphone back to Christina who was now standin in the wing, Brooke jumped off the stage. She placed her hand into his and they walked out the back, like expected. "Well, back up here!"Key said loudly, making everyone look at the stage again. "We have a few more numbers before we let you see the big suprise. I know you are all probably wondering what else we could pull off right? RIGHT?!"They gave a sigh trying to appease her yelling, however Key didn't let it go to fast."Come on, if you had a group of three girls standing in front of you, they would have screamed louder. Now SCREAM!"They all screamed and you could hear the piercing voice of Leslie amoung them all!"Yeah Leslie! Now here is the rest, that is if we could capture Ms. Carter from a few seconds.Leslie stood up and looked at Nick before steping onto the stage and following Key."So how have you been?" Joey asked Brooke."Just fine and you?" "The same as always. So how come you didn't tell me you were coming out here.""Well, actually I wasn't sure till the last minute. That Ames girl though does have a good way of pushing people into alot of things. By the things she was telling me, if just made you sound that more attractive.""I'm attractive?""Why else would I have come?""Okay, so what kind of stuff did Ames tell you?" Joey asked sitting on a step outside."Oh nothing much, just how you have been infatuated with me since that interesting night at the club.""You could kinda say that. I mean you should probably know by all the phone calls I have made to you.""It is nice to see you though, instead of that annoying ringing thing all the time.""I cherish the phone.""Why am I back here?" Leslie asked as she got backstage."To help us with the very last song," Key began. "You know the song 'Let The Music Heal You Soul', we thought since you were here that you might want to sing Aaron's part for us. You know!""I guess that would work!" Leslie replied."Hey girlie," I said running past her trying to keep my hair still pulled in the bandanna as Britney and I took the stage."Ready?" she asked."Yep," I said getting the first real stream of butterflies in my stomach. I wanted to laugh at the ridiculous outfit I had on, from the baggy black jeans, gray t-shirt, covered by a button down blue plaided shirt, tucked in with a belt, and a navy bandanna on my head. After taking a deep breath the music began and Britney started to sing. At first the guys were silent, but after the second line or so, JC began to laugh, causing a ripple effect from Justin to Lance, and then everyone, including those backstage. Britney and I had practiced controling the laughter though, because all through the rehersals we were laughing. We kept singing, and the worst part was when I had to do the little rap beat. "Because if you want.... open me mind, open me heart, come into me brain and make me breathe faster, all I know is that you are mine, and me know me going to love you till the end of time!" I sang with the exact movements Justin did while performing. After watching the tape repetitively, we had taken the name, "I'll Take You There", and had adapted "The Punchy Song," from Kelli just because of those moevements and she could never rememeber the real title.Britney and I continued the dance moves with each other, and then took a bow before running off of the stage and laughing.
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Kelli timidly walked onto the the stage to introduce the final song."Hey guys, I know that last song was rather humorous, we do have one more song to perform. This whole production has taken a good amount of time, and practice, a you all have noticed our strange disappearences. This last song is dedicated to all of the songs that have helped to heal our souls and everyone elses throughout the world that you have created. We are eternally greatful.""Not just that!" Britney said walking on the stage. "We also have yet another surprise, bigger for some then others, but it made me pretty excited.""It also included some rather cute guys in the making, and I might add I enjoyed it!" Key said."Well, let's get this thing finished because I'm dieing to know what you all thought of this performance. Ready Leslie," I said as she walked onto the stage an the music began."Always someone writes a song, with a simple rhythemJust a song where his feelings showAnd if someone feels the same about the simple songOh sometimes you can hear them sayMusic gives you happiness of saddnessBut it also, it aslo heals your soulLet the music heal your soulLet the music take controlLet the music give you the power to move any mountainAlways someone plays beyond them with some simple causeSo melodic and endearing tooAlways some plays guitar with the old pianoAnd maybe you can hear them sayMusic gives you happiness of saddnesBut it also also heals your soulLet the music heal your soulLet the music take controlLet the music give you the power to move any mountainoh yeahLet the music heal you soulLet the music take control oh ohLet the music heal your soul oh, oh yesLet the music heal your soulLet the music take control (IN YOUR SOUL)Let the music heal your soul(heal your soul)let the music take sontrol (LET THE MUSIC TAKE CONTROL)Let the music heal your soul(yeah)Let the music take control (oh yeah)Let the heal your soul (everybody sing it yeah)Let the music take control (Let the music yeah)Let the music heal your soul (let it heal your soul)...."We all sang to the appropriate parts while the other MMC members gathered onto the stage. The best part was when Leslie and Kelli sand at one time though, it was very cute. When the song finally faded, everyone, though few, were standing and cheering. All I could think was how my mom should have been there crying. That would have been perfect. However, we took our final bow and Justin was the first to rush the stage.Of course he ran strait past me and into Ryan. I shook me head and watched as many of the guys began to talk and Nick was standing over Kelli as she sat on the floor. "That was damm good!""Thanks," I said smiling at Trip."So you and Justin are a thing now!""Hello, it isn't like we haven't talked to you since, oh let me think, two days ago.""Yeah, I just haven't seen you two together. Actually, I still really haven't seen you two together.""Come on, he is talking with his old friends, no problem with me at all.""You know, Christina looks pretty good over there too.""Okay, I'm going to walk away now. One thing, you might want to remove that smirk before you talk to her.""Love you too."I shook my head and turned around.
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"Jeeze Nick!" I said as he practically killed me with a hug."That was worth all those nights and days you stole my girlfriend.""Well your welcome.""Hey Leslie, what did you think?" Nick asked his sister."I loved it! What a rush!""See? But in a hour or so, you'll be dead tired," he replied, glacing around the stage. "It feels weird not to be preforming on stage, and just standing on it.""I bet," Kelli replied softly from the ground."Uh, Princess? What are you doing down there?" he questioned, concerningly."My feet are going to fall off, and besides, the floor's a lot safer when you are sitting on it. Plus, I like it down here." She replied, and innocent smile forming on her lips."Yea, well, um, I have I feeling I'm supposed to go meet all these people, so get up!""Ames, what are we supposed to be doing?" She said as Nick extended a hand and she grasped it."No idea, the rest was all Brit's and Christina's planning. Oh wait you know what? Does Leslie know who Kelli is?""Ames, girl, I know very well who she is. You got BJ, Angel, and Aaron, plus those few phone calls from Nick," Leslie retorted."Oh excuse me, Kelli have you formally met Nick's other sister, Leslie.""Not really, but I do have to say that you have a great voice. ""Really! See Nick, even she likes my voice!" Leslie said sticking her tongue out at Nick."Now Leslie you know that it isn't nice," Leighann said."Yeah well," Leslie began and stuck her tongue out, "to you.""Looks like you taught her well Nick," Leighann responded. "Kelli and Ames, that was really really good, better then I had imagined from what you all had been telling me.""Thanks, and that video, I was crying!" I said while watching over her shoulder as Key was majorly flirting with Ryan, while Justin looked like he was going to kill her."Leighann will you get out of her way!" Leslie shouted."Huh?" Leighann began and turned to look where my glance was placed. "Oh! Later Ames!""Thanks!" I said glaring at Leslie for a second."You sister is crazy!" Justin said by the time I had made it over to him after being stopped by AJ, Kevin, Howie, and Lance. "And you are just now noticing this," I said before he brushed his lips against mine."You know as weird as it was to watch you all sing our songs, I enjoyed myself.""That was the intention!" I said looking straight into his eyes, and smiling."And now they are together!" Trip said taking a stance in the middle of us."Man, we were together, and now we have seemed to be seperated again," Justin said pushing him out of the way."Yeah, I like being in the middle of things.""And you are friends with him because?" I asked."Same reason you are.""Hey, y'all I got an idea!" JC shouted at the top of his lungs standing between Tony and Ilana. "Let's say while these very cool people sit down, we go through a few of our old numbers and see if we can actually remember the moves, words, and stuff.""Yeah, come on guys!" Justin said pushing past me, Trip, and grabbing Ryan, as the stage cleared.
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After we all had been seated and Tyler so perfectly had dimmed the lights, we watched wondering. All of a suddon music came over the speakers that I didn't realize any of us had. Jodiece tune played and four guys walked out. Sitting between Kelli and Britney, I felt two little eldows on both of my heads, as I skipped a breath."It's been an hour since you've been gone..." Dale began and then JC, just like the video we had watched a about a month ago. My stomach was doing more butterflies, then it did when I had to get out there and perform.Kelli was snuggled on Nick's chest along with Leslie on his other side. It was beyond adorable, especially when she smiled at me, winked, and then looked back at the stage. You'd think it couldn't get much better until Jusitn began to sing, and was looking strait at me, piercing me with his eyes."It's amazing what you do, to keep me falling in love with you, girl you're all that I know, where else can I go," he sang, and the gaze was unbreakable. I just starred, mouth open, and not moving. That was till his part ended and he smiled while Ryan began. Key being her lovely self, screamed the world of screams, and my whole tranfixtion had been lost, as we both looked at her. Ryan finished his part of the song, and then a few more numbers that were completely speechless. That was until Tony and JC came back onto the stage."Now, this is one of my favorite songs, and I'm going to kind of dedicate to my Marx girl out there, that is if Justin won't kill me," JC said."You just better watch it!" Justin said from behind the curtain."Well here we go. Whenever I'm weary From the battles that raged in my head You made sense of madness When my sanity hangs by a thread I lose my way, but still youSeem to understand Now and Forever, I will be your man."I sat there as his perfected voice sang the words to the memorized song. Never had I thought that someone could come that close to Richard Marx's voice, but JC he was impressive. Tony with the guitar, was awesome. However, the song had to end.Christina did "I Have Nothing," "Think", and then "Wake Up Everybody" with Tony, Britney, Justin, Ryan, the whole gang. "What Goes Around Comes Around" was cute, with JC getting pushed around. There was no doubt why Disney picked these people, they were incredible. Britney went on to do "Right Time"JC did "Love and Affection," "Two Princes," and "Runaway Train."Justin and Ryan were very cute during "Always In My Heart." Justin and Britney were even better in "I Feel For You."Ilana with her killer voice did "I Want You," Nikki and Britney with "I'm Gonna Get You"All of them could sing, dance, and even kept Nick and AJ intersted. Until the next song, that was the one where I lost all sense."So I guess we should go back inside huh?" Joey said looking at Brooke as they were still sitting on the steps with the sun fadding rapidly to the groud."Yeah, considering you just walked out on all you friends.""I did not, but let's go say hi," Joey replied and lead Brooke back inside.
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My heart seemed to have moved into my throat, as the ligths flashed and the music began. The whole room seemed to have disappeared, I didn't realize that Joey and Brooke had take a seat or that Key was already pointing at me.Upon the stage stood perfection. TJ in the middle, Britney and Chrsitina to either side, and then Tate, and Justin. It wasn't nessicarly that TJ had some amazing voice, it was the song. The song that was so beautiful and meaningful in my life."Wisemen say, only fools rush in, but I can't help falling in love with you."By the end of the first line I already had a stream of tears rolling down my face. Little did I know that in the seat Britney once was sitting in now set Brian.He handed me a kleenex and Key was still pointing and laughing. I didn't care. I was in my own happy world.Leslie was now watching me, smiling at silly expression, and Kelli looked a little feared."Why is Ames..." she whispered."This is her parents song," Nick assured her, as she placed her head back down.Brian was gently rubbing my back, and my crying was stopping, but the smile I had on my face ceasless. I leaned into Brian as the song went on and when it stopped I just kept stearing."Girl you okay?" Britney asked.Brian stood up, as Justin sat next to me. "Baby?""Oh my god," I said giving him a hug, while he looked over my shoulder and towards Brian."Will you stop! You remind me of MOM!" Key shouted."Oh, shut-up! That was so cool, you uncaring sister!""Mind cluing us in here?" Britney said again."You were cool too," I said after releasing the arms from around Justin's neck. "And Christina, Tate, and TJ." I sounded like a school girl with a squeaky voice who was about to hypervenalite because the cutest guy was within 10 yards from where she was standing."Ames?" Justin asked again.After taking a deep breathe, wipping a few stray tears, and still smiling, I turned and said, "Well, you know how practically every couple has a song, this one was the one that always reminds me of..""Who?!" Justin said playfully."Yeah, very cute," I said pushing his chest. "It is my parents my song, and it just kind of hits me the wrong, no perfect way.""Awwwwww," everyone said in unison."Okay, so what else is there," I said now while my face was blushing."DINNER!" Sam shouted from the control booth."So what was your favorite part of all this?" Trip asked as a group of us said in Kelli and my hotel room."I liked practicing the shimmies for baby one more time, that was kinda cute getting us all to look similar." Britney laughed. "Um, I liked coming up with new dance steps, because that took time, but when Britney and I had finally perfected what we were going to do and then getting the others to do it, that was a good feeling.""Yeah, that was pretty good!" Britney agreed."What about you Key?" Ryan asked.
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"I liked watching Ames and Britney practice not laughing while rehearsing for "I'll Take You There" or them studying the videos for hours. They were crazy.""Yes, and we adore you too Key!" I said."No, really, I liked performing it the best and hearing them scream, even though I knew them all, and AJ was rather smart remarked.""That is cool, and a good reason. That is why we get up there everynight and perform, because the fans are so perfect," Justin said."You got that!" Nick quickly added."Yeah, I got to agree with that, so Kelli what about you?" Lance said noticing her quiteness."Um, me, my favorite part?" she stuttered. "I guess it would be the pay off, and finally finishing this project we started. All the work was worth it.""And you all were beyond perfect!" Nick complimented."Oh we already knew that one," Key said.Kelli yawned and leaned back into Nick."That's a good thought guys, I'm tired too!" I said."We are getting the point, and since this was supposed to be a lazy day off, I'm going to bed," Britney said pulling along Lance, and others followed, leaving only Key, Ryan, Trip, Nick, Justin, Kelli, and me."One thing, before you leave, Trip so what is this flirting thing with Christina," I asked."Yeah, I was noticing that too," Justin said."Um, well, I mean, um," he began, "hello, it is Christina, a fine little thing.""Trip has got a crush, Trip has got a crush!" Key chanted."Oh and you don't Ms. Flirty?" Justin questioned."Ooo, and now the truth comes out!" I responded."You know you two are just evil!" Key spat."Yeah, and I like it!" Trip added."Oh my," Nick sighed turning to look at Kelli, "It is going to be one of those nights!""Yep," she repsonded looking back up at him."Let's not even getted started with you, Nicky!" Key said."If I was in the mood, Key, you'd be dead!""Well, I think, I'm going to go to bed!" Ryan said standing up to walk out."Hey, we still going to play some b-ball tomorrow?" Justin asked."Of course, I'll still beat you!" Ryan said."He has never won a game," Justin said shaking his head."Well, that leaves you people, I'm going to go bother Sam now! Night!" Key said and followed Ryan out."Bother Sam, she going to go try to talk to Ryan," I said shaking my head."Well, I'm going too! Bye!" Trip left."Oh and now look, the four some again," Justin said."Of course!" I said laying on my bed."So what is this about b-ball?" Nick asked."Just a game, you could come and help Ryan.""Oh god, and here we go with the sport talk, and how Nick is good, and blah blah," I went on.Kelli stood up and took a bag into the bathroom, while the guys talked, and I just sat there. She came back out, and pushed Nick over so she could pull the covers down. Curling up into a little ball, she looked at me and shook her head. I inturn went and changed in the bathroom, and crawled into the bed."So you think they will ever get the clue?""Doesn't look like it!" Kelli said."I say we kick 'em on 3!"
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With my hand I placed 1 then 2 then 3 fingers and we both kicked them not causig much movement but they looked at us."Whoa they are both in bed!" Justin said."Yes, baby, your are so very observant.""You think they realize we want them to get out?""Probably not!""Hello, we are right here!" Nick said."Okay, then get the point?""I don't know, hey Justin, do we get it?""I don't know!""Oh my god! GET OUT!" I shouted."We get it now!" Justin said."Thank God!" Kelli sighed and Nick bent over to give her a quick kiss."Bye!" Justin said and stood up, while I pulled his arm."Hey!""Hey what, I thought you wanted me to leave."I rolled my eyes and kneeled on the bed to give him a kiss. "Now you are dismissed!""Bye Ms. Cole," he said and kissed my cheek.After they left, Kelli and I looked at each other and sighed before laughing. "Sweet dreams Carter!""Good-night Timberlake!""So what are we going to do today guys?" Britney asked as many of the guys had gone to the basketball courts."What about a Leighann day?" Leslie asked."Oh that sounds great Les," Howie retourted."Please please please!" Leslie begged holding onto Howie's arm."Yeah, come on Howie!" Britney said."Lance, some one," Howie said looking around the crowd."Just think you will be one of the few guys who ever have experienced a day like Leighann!" I pleaded."Yeah, even Brian hasn't ever seen what really goes on in a day like that," Leighann persuaded."Huh, fine I'll go!""Lance?" Britney looked at him."Whatever, unless Tate, or one of the other guys wants to do something.""Guys," Britney groveled on her knees in the middle of the circle.When no one had any complants, Leighann got up and lead everyone out the back exit.
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"So who is it who has to leave?" Justin asked while everyone sat around sipping from little cups filled with water."Better question is who is staying?" JC asked."Tony, me, Ilana, Ryan, Dale, TJ, and Christina I believe," Keri replied. "No one else right?""ME!" Trip shouted gettting the others attention."You don't count!" Tyler said back."I count more then you Chasez!""Yeah Chasez," Ryan replied."Shall we go back to when Tony and Dale and whomever accepted me from the start and you guys were just the younger actors, trying to mimick everything they do?""Yeah, well at least we went out for the show, you stayed at home and did the boring stuff, like get a girlfriend," Ryan said."First off Trip didn't try out for the show, and you better watch what you say about Sam!""Yeah, because she can beat any of you!" Sam joined in."Oh, that is so scary!" Trip said walking toward her."Yeah, you better watch out!" she said and took another step forward."I better watch out, come bring it on girl!" Trip said still walking closer."Sam, baby!" Tyler said, worring about both of their well-beings."Tyler, shut-up!"While the two grew closer everyone gathered into a large circle, to watch. Brian,Nick, and AJ were of the last to join, and Brian was holding the ball. Being so everyly talented and smart, he threw the basketball between the two."Let's have a one on one game!" he suggested. "First to 6 wins!""Fine, let's go!" Sam said taking the ball and walking to the center of the court."Are you enjoying yourself now Howie?" Leighann asked."You better believe it!" he replied as we all set in a suite with chocolate ice cream, popcorn, make-up, and a good movie, "Sleeping Beauty"."What about you Lance?" Britney questioned."This is nice, kind of weird, but nice.""Pink, blue, pink, blue," I said along with the movie, it being my favorite Disney."Whoa, stop that," Kelli said again."Sorry, so how are you liking this day.""Considering I'm not in the hospital," Kelli responded."Oh yeah, that was scary, I'm surprised you didn't oppose to the day," Key said. "Are you crazy, good food and the best Disney movie!""I guess so.""Have any of you seen Tarzan?" Lance asked. "That is the best disney movie, we all went and saw it in May!""That is only because you sing in it," Britney said."Yeah, but we got to work with Rosie! and then Phil Collins!""Well, Lance, how about you treat us all to a trip to the theater," I said."I might just do that then!""Oh, this is the best part! I always loved happy endings," I said with Fauna, the green fairy, and the movie ended.
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"That was a damm good game to watch," Justin said to Ryan as they were heading back to the hotel."Yeah, even though Trip did beat her when it came to the last point."Do you know how many times that boy gave in and let her have a little way?""Yeah, I know, believe me I know! It was just a good game, seeing Sam actually take on a guy.""It was, but now she will never let him go until she beats him at something, running, hitting, who knows.""Come on, I bet I can catch up with JC and Ilana before you can!""Sam, let it go, I won the game!" Trip said as the walked along."Come on, you know I can hit the ball father than you can.""Does she ever lose.""Not with me she doesn't," Tyler replied."That is because I can beat you too!""Yeah, you just keeping thinking that," Trip said catching up with Justin. "Oh my god, she is a freak.""Yeah, and you beat her Trip," Justin said shaking his head."She is just going to go on like that isn't she until she can wins.""Yep!""Thanks Justin, you are so supportive.""Well," Ryan said trying to change the topic, "What is up with JC and Ilana?""They are talking to each other, you know, the same thing we are doing now," Trip said."No, I mean with the hand in hand, leaning inwards thing.""You mean like this?" Trip said moving closer to Ryan."Don't you even.." Ryan said backing away."You know though you got a point. Maybe those MMC flames are still lit under all those years," Justn said."Wipeout is coming back!""Um, no, I got it down to an art!" I said as everyone, including Kelli were trying to catch M&M's in my mouth."You have it down to an art, yeah whatever," Key said as a yellow one hit her chin and bounced to the floor."Yeah, an art Ames?" Howie asked. "How can catching candy be an art?""Let's just say late night practice is always the best," I said poking Kelli in the side."You know what, I don't even want to know!" Leslie said shaking her head, and taking another handfull. "Wait a second, I really do want to know.""Well, if it isn't a room filled with flying M&M's, Nick said walking through the door."And look who is back! So how was your day?" I asked."Rather interesting," Brian said recaping his day, and taking an M&M from Leighann."So Sam lost?" I asked."Yep, and poor Trip is going crazy," Nick said wrapping an arm around Kelli."He can use some of that!" Britney said."Aww, Brit, he isn't all that bad!" Christina said, as Kelli, Key and I shared glances."Whatever!" she said and caught an M&M's in her hand as it went no where near her mouth."HEY!" Justin said making the grand entrance with Ryan and Trip following him."Hey!" I said a threw an M&M at his mouth, which he perfectly caught. "See, practice!""Um, yeah," Justin said swallowing, "So what have we all been doing?""Enjoying the day, Genie," Christina said pinching his cheek and walking to Trip. "So I hear you beat Sam!""Oh, not you too!" Trip said rolling his eyes."Aww, it isn't that bad!" Christina said flirtly."You have no idea."
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"Are you all ready?" Justin said beating on the door. We had decided to go out for a nice meal, before many of our guests had to leave the next day."We are coming!" I shouted back through the door. "You do want us to look nice!""Like Princesses!" Nick responded."We ready?" I asked as we both looked each other over, shook our heads, and stepped out of the bathroom."I can't believe we are wearing skirts," Kelli said."But we look nice, and it is only for dinner. We can handle that right?""Well, let's go then!" she said and opened the door.Taking our hands, we were led down the hall and into a van where another four people sat."Well, you all look nice," TJ said as we got in."Thank you, it is nice to know that someone is looking," I said."Sorry I was in to much shock to say anything," Justin said blushing."Nice cover up there," Ryan said."Hey, I really was.""Whatever, so did you notice that JC has been with Ilana all night except to let her change.""I was watching that, it is kind of strange.""Oh yeah," I added, "Did you see Christina with Trip?""So what are you thinking?" Justin asked."Oh, I don't know, we seemed to do rather well with those two," I said as I turned and looked at Kelli and Nick ingrossed in their own conversation."Well, what shall we do then?" Justin said leaning in with Ryan. "So we got them sitting net to each other, not like it was that hard, but hey one step closer," Ryan whispered."He isn't too good at this, considering he is going to give us away?""I know, but he can think of some good things," Justin said back."What are we whispering about?" Britney asked. "Nothing," I whispered back."Okay, then can we stop?" "Yeah, I think so.""Well, so do things to be doing well?" Ryan asked for about the millionth time."You know you are kind of cute, but shut-up now!" I said shaking my head."I'm cute now?""Okay, Justin now he is flirting with me!""Ryan, you really are starting to get annoying," Justin said while we were all walking around the hotel."At least no one has caught on yet," Ryan responded."Okay, you know what, your an actor, pretend this is a major film and you have to keep it quite, never mentioning a word unless in closed doors, and then you are still careful.""Dude, I can do that!" The three of us laughed."Are we going to head to the rooms soon?" Kelli asked taping my shoulder."I would assume so, you can go ahead if you want.""Well, Nick is kind of in that brotherly mood," she said smiling back while Nick had Leslie turned up side in his arms."Yeah, but it is great to watch that!""I know!" she said dreamily."Okay, well, I'm going to continue walking, c-ya later in the room."
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"Notice that Ilana still hasn't left his side? This is really alot easier then we had to have been," I said watching the two sit there and talk."We had to have been hell, with all our mixed whatevers," Justin replied."You mean it wasn't like click?" Ryan asked."Hell no, my god, we were a pain in the butt. One minute we are talking, flirting, staying up late together, going to the hospital, everything. The next minute we can't even look at each other.""And this is because?" Ryan asked."Because she was Ames, and I was Justin.""So it was like a weird thing?""You know what, I'm not even going to think about it, it was to complicated," I said."Well what about the M&M's thing?" Ryan continued ask."Other then that they are really good, and it is something to do at 3 in the morning nothing," I said as Justin was watching JC."Yo, dude?" Ryan said waving his hand in front of his face."I know you were talking about M&M's, but it is kind of creepy seeing all this. Keri and Tony, Ilana and JC!""I understand, bringing back the days when they were perfect, and we wanted everything they had. That zone or something.""Yeah, but I really don't think they are going to need our help to much," Justin said pointing as JC quickly brushed his lips to Ilana's."Well, at least we had the right prediction," I said."So does that mean we can go check up on Trip and Christina?" Ryan asked.After stearing out the glass, we both looked at each other, and shook our heads, "Come on Ryan."After following Nick and Leslie from the indoor basketball court, game room, and food machines, Kelli has managed to get them to go back to the hotel room."So you are in with Leighann?" Nick asked."Yeah, you know I miss following you guys around. I know with school, and doing my own record, that it is hard and everything, but I do. Even weirdo AJ, who I guess will always pick on me.""Yeah, he will always pick on you, man he will always pick on me.""Anyway, Leighann is really cool, especially when you went out today. I love those days, junk food, relaxing, and doing nothing.""I bet I would too.""Howie that was funny, Lance, a really cool guy, kind of got into it. Howie though, just watched and when we started with the nail polish and face gunk, I thought he was going to puke on us all.""Yeah, well, that is Howie, but I bet he didn't complain once the whole day.""No, he is still sweet," Leslie said as slowly walked behind Nick before pouncing on him and tickling him.Kelli sat in a chair, jounral in hand looking over the side as the two played on the bed.
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Dear Journal,Well, it's offical! I have now met all four Carter children. Right now Nick is goofing off with Leslie, holding her upside down and stuff. It is so adorable! I love how he's able to goof off with all of them. When Aaron was here, he helped him 'fight' AJ during "Robot Vampire Bats" I couldn't help but to start laughing. The whole Carter clan is very outgoing, but I still I am finding myself pulling away. Like during the concert, Leslie preformed with us, but I wasn't able to say anything to her. It was very embarrissing to forget, or block out the words to "I Need You Tonight" in front of her, and have Nick jump to my rescue. I have no clue why I am doing this, I guess I want them to accept me in to the little 'family' that every one else on this tour is in. I must be afraid that if I screw this up, they won't like me any more. Hey, I need to talk to Chris, he majored in Psycology, maybe he can help. Oh well, looking at Nick now, goofing off with Leslie is so cute, but I hope he dosen't do anything to embarsse me, or drag me into things unexpectedly while Leslie is here. I don't want to make a fool of myself AGAIN. I'm sure I probably have pleanty of times. Love Always and Forever,Kelli Ann O'Hara As I closed my journal, I overheard Leslie ask Nick a question."Hey Nick, Is that tattoo real?"she asked, pointing at my ankle while I pretended to re-read journal entries."Hmm? Yes it is, why?""Oh, no reason. Is that her only one?""Um-yea, um I think, I dunno, I haven't seen her whole body, umm yea....."Nick replied,getting flustered."Ohhhh, I'm surprised at you! I would have thought you'd do more than just a quick kiss on the lips, like the one you gave her at dinner.""Um, Leslie? What HAS Bj taught you?' Nick asked, turning BRIGHT red. "If you are so interested in Kelli, ask her yourself.""Fine MR. Helpful, I Will!" She retorted, walking over to me, and sitting at my feet before I looked up."Yes Leslie?" I asked, enunciating carefully to hide my embaressment."Is it real?" She asked simply."Yes, it is, and yes, it is my only one."I replied, throwing in a light laugh."Good!" She replied before running over and tackleing Nick.On the other hand, I was getting a little tired, but had to find a way into my room, without disturbing Ames, or whoever has invaded it now.

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"Where are they?" Ryan whined again."Will you shut-up!" Justin shouted at the top of his lungs."Oh, someone is getting cranky.""Man, I really wouldn't start that right now.""Ames, what the heck is his problem?"I looked between the two of them, and shook my head. If one didn't look bettr, they seemed to be acting just like brothers. Thinking of brothers, there stood Key at the corner of the hallway where her room was."I really don't know, other then your whinning," I replied to Ryan. "Hey Key!""Oh don't hey Key me!""Whoa what happened to you?" Justin asked"I'm locked out of my room, and Sam and Tyler won't let me in!""Well, I think we should leave Ryan here with Key and we are going to leave!" Justin said pulling my hand and running down the hallway before Ryan could object."What, Justin, hello?" I complained as my arm was basically being pulled off."Hold on," he said opening the door to a room and dragging me inside.*Nick*When Leslie went over to bug Kelli for a minute, I was extremly relived, where DID she learn all that? I guess I keep forgetting that she's 12, not the innocent 6 year old I left in 1993."Oof! Leslie!" I yelled as she jumped on my back once again. I threw her on the bed and began tickiling her."Ni-Nick, Sttop! Plllease, I'm sorry!" she gasped until I stopped."Alright. You're free," I replied while noticing Kelli stifiling another yawn. She really need to go to bed, but she probably didn't want to be rude and kick everyone out of her and Ames' room. Thank god Kevin wasn't tired yet, otherwise, I'd be getting yelled at right now."Niick?" Leslie called, waving her hand infront of my face."Huh, oh, yes?""You alright? I mean, you zoned out on me there," she questioned,stareing me in the eyes."I'm fine. Honestly. Isn't it time for you to go find your roomie?""I already know, I'm with Leighann. How serious is it between you and Kelli, anyways?""I can't explain it too easily. Um, it is very serious, I guess. That's just how I feel though. And don't go asking her about anything.""Why not? That's no fun."Glacing at Kelli, I chose my words carefully, not wanting to betray the trust in telling me about her ex."Um, she's had a um-""Rough past with my ex," Kelli said softly, walking up next to me. "Ohh, what happened?" Leslie asked ingnorantly."Leslie!" I replied sharply, "That's her buisness.""But- she told you, I can tell.""Leslie, did you hear about Aaron and Jamie's little plan?" Kelli asked gently."Yes.""Well, Kelli kinda had to tell me so I'd understand," I explained. "Okay. Kelli? Do you have the room key?""Yes, here you go," she replied, pulling the key out of her pocket."Night Nick-y," my sister called as she walked out of the door."Well, what do you think of my family now?" I asked, pulling her down on the bed and into my lap."They are all really- um," she trailed off, searching for the right word."Crazy?" I volenteered"Yea, I guess," she replied through her yawns."You know you really need some sleep," I said pulling her onto my lap.She yawmed again, and placed her head upon my shoulder.
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"Justin would you mind telling me what we are doing now?" I asked flopping onto the bed."Getting away from the people causing me to have a head-ache.""Aww, poor baby!" I slurred.He walked in a cricle for a few seconds before sitting and placing his head between his hands."Okay, what is wrong?" I asked concerned."Nothing, I'm fine.""Justin, you are not fine, and you have been a weird mood ever since you went into the bathroom with a phone about an hour ago.""Ames, really I'm okay," he replied taking his hands from his face, putting on a fake smile."Alright but you know you don't look okay."He laid onto the bed and starred at the ceiling. I took his hand in mine and sat next to him on the bed."Ames, it was my step-dad on the phone.""AJ, where you going man?" Howie called as he watched AJ head for the door."Clubbing, I need to clear my head and stuff.""So you are going clubbing?" Howie said shaking his head."You know just party, and not really have to care.""Whatever man," Howie said as AJ walked out the door."HI!" Leslie said bursting through the door to her room, but seeing no one there. "I guess Leighann is with Brian," she said licking her lips."Yes, I am," Leighann called from the balcony.Leslie, walked out and sat on Brian, who's hand was still intwined with Leighann's."Well, how are we doing tonight Leslie?" Brian asked shifting so he would be more confortable."I'm good, Nick kicked me out though. But BJ was right, they are soooo, cuuuute.""Remember when she used to tell us that?" Leighann asked placing her head on Brian's shoulder."Yeah, I remember," he said smiling. "However, I feel like a portable chair or something at the moment and it is making me really hot.""That's cool," Leslie said turning to look at Leighann. "I really liiik," she started before falling on the floor as Brian stood up."I really like you on the floor," he said and walked back inside. "Shouldn't we all be going to bed," he yawned."Yeah, we should," Leighann agreed."It is only 2!""Well, I'm going to sleep, and if you make a noise, that pretty voice you have, is going to go bye bye.""Okay, but one thing, when we are in bed, Brian has to sing, like he used too, when I was like 9 or 10.""That sounds good!" Leighann smiled, and took a t-shirt and shorts into the bathroom, followed by Leslie."Fine, thanks for asking me!" Brian said standing against the wall.The two reappeared, both giving him a kiss on the cheek before getting into thier beds."Well, sing!" Leslie said waving her hand at him.Brian began 'As Long As You Love Me', and Leighann and Leslie smiled. When he finished, he said, "Good-night ladies, I love you.""I love you too," they said in unison.
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"So what now?" Ryan asked as he sat on the floor next to Key."I don't know, I'm just getting bored of watching all these people kiss and hug and kiss and hug, it is just weird. I want to be out there on the softball feild, hitting the ball past millions of other girls, and then pitching it so fast they can't even see it.""Then why are you here?""Because we moved to Maryland, and it was to late to join a team, besides season is over now for most of the summer teams. Don't take it the wrong way, I'm enjoying myself to death.""I got you, it is just weird being around all these people who are holding hands and being all lovely dovey.""Hey, you want to go see how Busta is doing?" Key asked."Why not!""Come here, aww that is a good boy!" Brooke said sitting on the bus and playing with Busta, as Joey sat and watched her. "He is such a good puppy.""As long as he isn't leaving little gifts for us all, right Busta," Joey said joining Brooke on the floor."Aww, poor thing, stuck on a bus all day and gets yelled at for having to releave himself.""You should see Justin, Busta uses his bed like a litter box.""Yeah, well the pretty boy diserves it!""Whoa, don't go dissing my friends now.""Excuse me, but that curly haired boy is a bit of ditz sometimes and he is always interupting everyone else during interviews.""You watch interviews?""I didn't say that," Brooke said noticing how she dug her own hole."Oh yes you did, you actually like *N Sync!""No I don't!""Yeah, you really do!" Joey said as he inched closer to her."I swear I don't," she said closing her eyes."You sure?""Well maybe a little bit," she smiled."Yeah?""Yeah," her voice muffled as their lips connected.The two grew closer, and Joey wrapped a hand around her waist, and her hand twirled around his hair. Busta growled, and Brooke instinctively also began to rub his head until he walked away. Busta decided to walk around the bus for a few minutes as the other two were still kissing, until he waddled back into the room. Without any forewarning, Busta got Joey's nice new white shoes wet."Oh my god!" Joey said pushing Brooke back and starring down at the little innocent faced dog. "I think I love Busta more then *N Sync," Brooke said trying not laugh."Hey Princess!" Nick said."Hum," she said turning her head to look up at him. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now.""Okay," she said tierdly, as Nick lifted her up. Carefully he pulled the covers back, and placed her on the bed."I love you," he said kissing her forehead, while she snuggled into the covers. Nick slowly walked over to lights and turned them off before exiting the room to go see if Kevin had fallen asleep in their room."Do you know how weird this is all is?" JC asked Ilana."What do you mean?""Like this whole thing. First seeing you all again, it has been so long, and then seeing Tony and Keri still together, plus these weird feelings in my stomach.""Oh, you have them too?" Ilana asked."Yeah, but...""But it feels sort of good, but you are unsure, but you thought that this was over.""Exactly. What if this is all from the past or something, or we realize that when we both left six years ago we should have kept in touch and lost six years.""JC, you know you have always thought to much," Ilana said placing her hand in his as they walked down the hall."So just go with the flow, do whatever I feel!""Yes, live for the moment.""Okay," JC said pulling her hand around his neck and caressing his lips gently against hers. "How was that?""Almost perfect!""Almost, geeze, I give up now!" JC said throwing his hands up and sighing. "Like this!" Ilana said jumping will placing both hands around JC's neck so he would have to support her small frame, causing him to lift her up. She slowly licked her lips and then his, before pressing them together.
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"So should we go find everyone else, if they are still awake?" Christina asked Trip as the two finished a lemonade and a cookie."That sounds like a good idea," Trip said slowly putting his hand farther out from his side in hopes that she might take it. Christina took his hand willfully, and they walked down the hall to her room, where many seemed to have gathered."Hey," Lance said noticing as the two entered. There sat Tony, Keri, TJ, Dale, Chris, Britney, and Lance, who all were talking about random things.Britney looked between the two and their hands before turning back to the conversation with Keri. Christina just shook her head, and sat down on the floor before she yawned."And another yawn occurs," Dale said. "We need some SLEEP! It is past three o'clock.""That sounds good," Chrsitina said nodding her head so everyone would get some clue. "Nice gesture," Tony said pulling Keri's hand, "she still is dramatic.""Yeah, get out," Christina said trying to kick him from the ground. Slowly they all left, and Christina went into the bathroom, while Lance said good-night to Britney."Love you!" the two said together standing in the door way. Christina came out and climbed into the bed, "Hey, what's up with you and Trip?""I don't know, he is just weird, and creepy, or something," Britney said putting pajama's on."Are you still upset about that whole thing years ago? Britney, he has changed, and isn't the perverted fourteen year old boy anymore.""I know, I just have this thing about him, sorry!""Yeah, well, I like him.""That was a little obvious from when you walked into the room.""Brit Brit, he is a cool guy.""I know, I'll get over it.""Thanks, now dream of the Bass guy, cause I know he is on your mind!" "Oh shut-up!" Britney said while flicking the light off and getting into the bed."Kev, I'm going to sleep now!" Nick said as Kevin was on the phone with Kristen, standing on the balcony."Alright, Nick!" Kevin called."Okay, and tell Kristen good-night.""Nick says good-night.""Whoa what is that noise?" Ryan asked Key."Someone screaming!" Key replied."From the bus, though?""I don't know, let's go find out."They walked up the stairs, and through the door, through the hallway and into the back room before seeing Brooke, Joey, and Busta."Well, hello!" Ryan said."Hey," Brooke said still laughing."BAD DOG!" Joey yelled again.Key looked around and then down at the floor before laughing, and Ryan quickly followed."Thanks Joey, this has just made this night rather special. It really cheered me up!" Key said."I'm so glad!" He said grinding his teeth."It isn't my fault.""Yeah, well, it should be!""Man, don't take it out on her, besides the longer you have it on you the harder it is going to be to get it off," Ryan said."Good point," Joey said taking off his shoe and running out the door.Brooke followed still laughing.
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"Well, that is what you call comic relief," Key said picking up Busta."Have to agree with you there," Ryan replied."You know what, I'm going to go get a key to the room and bust that door open.""Yeah, a plan!" Ryan said smiling."Yes, and Tyler is going to leave even if I have to brag him out by his ears!""Go do it!""I am!" she said. "Oh wait, we need to put Busta back in his little home, so he doesn't make any other messes.""Oh yeah, Justin would really kill me then.""Yeah, what was up with him?""I think I was just getting annoying, I do that from time to time.""So, do I," she replied. The two talked all the way up till Trip was seen in the hallway."I'm going to go in your room, Justin and Ames are in mine at the moment, and I have interupted like a million times and they are going to kill me.""Alright, I'll let you in!" Ryan said. "Hey, Key, good-luck down there. Good-night.""Night guys," Key said looking ready to kill someone."I'm coming in!" she said placing the key in the slot and slamming to door open to find Sam curled up in a ball on her bed and no Tyler."Well, there went my plan, at least I can sleep now."It had been a while since Justin had last talked, about an hour. In the hall way, he seemed to be okay, but just annoyed at Ryan, like I was begining to feel. However, this was starting to worry me. I just sat there and watched him while he was thinking."Justin do you want me to leave?""You can if you want," he said not looking at me."Would some M&M's help?" I asked, "or anything?""Not really.""Justin, what could your step-dad have said?"He cringed and sat up to face me, before a few tears filled his eyes and he wipped them away before they hit his cheek."Justin, please, you are starting to really scare me here.""Ames, my mmo," he began before having to take a deep breath.I slowly moved over to where he was sitting and kneeled in front of him."He said that my mom was in the the the the...""The what?" I said wiping the tear with my thumb."The hospital.""What? Why?""I don't know, he doesn't know, he just said he was needed there. At first I was thinking she just broke her ankle or something and needed a ride home, but the imagination can go crazy, and oh my god.""Justin, I'm sure she is just fine," I said trying to reassure him."Ames, this is my mom, I have never gone a day without speaking to her. She seemed fine this morning. Dammit, I need her. I love her. Why won't he call me back!""Take a deep breath! You need to think of good things, maybe she is taking care of someone, or she hurt a finger.""If it were that, then he would have called by now.""Justin," I began."Ames, she could be dead."He was right, not saying that she was, but it was scary. I was trying to hard not to cry for his sake, but the thoughts of reasons why she was in the hospital kept running through my head. I didn't know how to comfort someone in a time like this. We were across the country in Washington, and his mother was in a Florida hospital. I didn't know what to say, how to make it better, or how to be the strong one. Having no clue what could have happened, no doctors accurance that she would survive, or anything, wasn't helpful.Tears slowly began to run down my face, and I stood up then sat down next to him on the bed, gripping his hand."Jeeze, okay. We need to try to call," I said calming myself down.Before we could reach for a phone the one on the night stand began to ring.
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I took a deep breath to collect myself and answered the phone."Hello?""Hi, are you okay?" Trip asked."I'm not to sure. What about you?""Sorry for interupting but I'm kind of out of a bed.""That is a good point," I said sniffling. "It's Trip." "Did you two get in a fight or something?""Not at all," realizing we both needed to just take a beep breath and pray. "Alright, so you mind if I come go to sleep?""You mind if he comes to sleep?" I asked Justin as his hands were covering his face and his breathng was becoming normal."No, it is his room too.""Yeah, it's fine, I need some sleep too.""Okay, five seconds," he said as the phone clicked."Ames, you do need some sleep," Justin said taking a deep breath."I wouldn't be able to sleep if I wanted too. Now pick up the phone and start dialing.He slowly ligted the phone and dailed his step-fathers cell-phone."Come on, some pick this damn thing up!" Justin shouted into the ohone. "No, I don't want the voice mail!""Take a deep breath and try another number."When no one answered his mom's cell phone he dropped the phone to the floor and threw a pillow at the door when Trip entered."Hello, to you too!" Trip said throwing it back."Not now!" I scolded."So, what is going down in here, anyway?""Alot of stuff!" I responded."That was informative.""Trip, just shut-up!" Justin said picking up the phone off of the floor, dialed a number and walked out of the room."Well, I feel so wanted.""He'll be fine, promise," I said crossing my fingers and walking into the hallway. "Night Trip!""Goodnight.""Anything yet?""No one is answering anything! With three cell phones and the one at home, whyn is no one freakin' answering?!""Call the operator and get the number for the hospital."Again he dialed more numbers, and patiently waited for an answer."Yes, is there a Lyn Harless checked in anywhere?....H-A-R-L-E-S-S...Nowhere?...Well, thank you very much," he saild clicking the phone off. "NOW WHAT?!""Any other hospitals?"Not within 50 minutes of the house.""Okay," I said in a hopeless tone. "What the hell is going on? My mom is now missing, and all I know is Paul had to go the hospital for her."
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The sun was now rising, and all we were doing was waiting. Justin and I sat there, on the floor, with gazey expressions praying for the phone to ring. Sleep was not even a thought, and the brain had stopped functioning to think about the possibilities of what could have happened. I had been worried, scared, terrified, but somehow in all those cases I new that things would turn out to be fine. Kelli's misshap, Brian's surgery, I had always had some sort of light shinning to help me get through. Of course I cried, and just wanted it all to be over, but this situation, one were I had no control, no details, no support, was completely different. I was freakin' out, and watching Justin suffer, at an even worse extent, being his mother, made me want to scream for help.The first sound in hours was made as the elevator door slowly opened, and an half awake AJ stumbled out."Hey, morning guys," he yawned when he was half way through down the hall. Justin and I both turned our heads toward him and nodded before glancing back down at the phone. "Woah, guys, who died?" Perfect timing, just what we needed to hear. "Dammit, if she died," Justin said before just screaming."AJ, just go away right now!" I said as he looked between us. "NOW!""And, I thought I wasn't completely sober!""GO AWAY!""Okay, bye!" he said and continued down the hall to his room."Listen, Justin, your mom is not dead. She can't be dead, and she isn't dead!""Ames, how the hell do we know that? I could have flown there by now! I need my MOM!""It's fine, it will all be fine," I said more reassuring myself, so I wouldn't scream. Taking a deep breath, he curled his legs to his chest and rested his head upon his knees. Slowly I moved next to him and rubbed his back with one hand, and held onto his hand with my other one. "Man, what is going on out there?" Howie asked from his bed as AJ entered the room."Ames and Justin, some sort of crazy mood.""What?""Yeah, something went down, and boom some crazy snapping out there.""Yeah, and considering you are walking, you can't be that drunk.""I know! I am sleepy!" AJ yawned and crawled under the covers and was out cold."Yo,J, you a sleep?" Ryan asked."Not really," TJ said and threw the covers over his head and faced the corner."I'm going to go see what is going on.""Hey, you guys okay out here?" Ryan asked stepping out of a room.I shook my head no, cause if any words were to come out, so would the unwanted tears."Okay, now I know this all wasn't caused from me."When neither of us replied, his glance became more concerned. "Alright, dammit, what is wrong, and why was I the one who started the whole thing?""Ryan," I said after taking a deep breath, "this really well,""No, Ryan, my mom is in the hospital or something with no contact avaible, and.." Justin said before taking a deep breath and allowing a few tears to slid down his face."Damm, and oh my god, sorry man.""Why!? Why now, why me, why why why!""Ju, calm it down, things will be okay.""THIS IS MY MOM!""I promise you she will be okay, I know it, or else you would have known." A there was the spark of light, just a little whole, but somehow I was beginning to believe Ryan.

More!.
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The three of us sat for a few minutes. "You know, this is ridiculuos. We have to leave in two hours for Colorado, a 17 hour drive. We should go pack, get the bus loaded with our stuff, and then hopefully the time to worry will be shorter."An hour went by and we had all our stuff in the hall way. Needless to say, my mind was still frozen, and the antisipation for a simple phone call was killing me. The tears amoung Justin and I had ceased though, and now it had turned to pacing back and forth."Okay, stop, making me dizzy.""Ryan, you are so not helping," I complained."Yeah, well you guys are setting me crazy, be optimistic, isn't that what you would tell me during those auditions and stuff Justin?""Yeah, and your mom wasn't who knows where!" "Sorry! I'm just always trying to be the relief in these..." Ryan continued before beig inerupted by the ringing in Justin's pocket."Pick it up!" I said without taking a breath and having my heart skip a million beats. He quickly opened the phone, and pushed send to answer. "Hello?" he said questioningly.~Honey, I'm so sorry!~"Oh my god! What is going on?! Where, what, I mean, MOM!," he said taking a deep breath. "Are you all okay, cuase from was Paul said you were like I don't know, but well?"~Justin, I'm just fine. It was really Mrs. Ruth!~"So you're 100% perfectly and surely okay?"~Yes!~"DAMMIT, WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL?!"~Because I thought your stepfather wouldn't have called you with such a message, and watch you lanuage.~"Okay, sorry, so why was Mrs. Ruth in the hospital is she fine?"~Yes, she is doing just fine!~"Then why?"~She was in labor. Since, I was the only one there, I drove, and called Paul on the way to meet me in there. I never ment for it to get so crazy. I'm sorry sweety.~"Yeah, I know. Let me just say, you had a few of us in tears, I have never felt more love from other people, but so scared at the same time. I love you!"~I love you too, and that is why I called, when I realized that you couldn't get in touch with us, since the phones are off in the maternity section, and I knew you'd be upset.~"Mom, I love you!" Justin manged to say as a tear of happiness rolled down his face. ~And I you, now wipe the tear, and get some sleep!~"You know me way to well. I love you bye."~Love you too.~"So, what is going on?" Ryan asked."Nothing, everyone is just fine," Justin replied relieved."See didn't I tell you that everything would be fine!""RYAN!!!" Justin said and chased him down the hall."Well, it is all back to normal!" I said and sat on the floor placing my head on the pillow.
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"Hey Bri, I'm going to go to sleep," I said as we got onto the bus. "Yeah, what was going on last night?""A lot of stuff, ad let's just say I didn't sleep.""Well, you got 17 hours to so.""So, night.""So, morning!" AJ loudy said as he trampled on."And you are so awake because?" I asked."Because I always am.""You came back at like what 4 or something?""Yeah, but I had a good time. I met some girls.""He always meets some girls," Leslie said rolling her eyes."LESLIE!" Nick shouted."Sorry, Nick.""Oh and like he hasn't said worse," AJ commented. "AJ!" Nick shouted again."NICKY!" Leslie screamed."WHAT?""NICKY, NICKY, NICKY!!!!""COME HERE!""NOOOOOOOOOO!" Leslie said and ran behind Kelli."She isn't going to help you!" Nick said picking Kelli up and moving her out of the way."LEIGHANN WILL!" Leslie said and ran over to Leighann."Leighann, can you please move?" Nick pleaded."Only if you stop pestering your sister.""That is so not fair! BRIAN MOVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!""Nick if you haven't noticed she is taller then me.""Yeah, but she won't hurt you.""Oh my god, I need some sleep." I said walking off the bus."Morning sister!""Hey Key!" "Where are you going?""To find a place to sleep.""Have fun!""Hey here's an idea, come here.""Oh great another plan of Ames! Just what we need in the morning.""Key shut up! Now here's the idea. On three say BSB PARTY!""Fine," Key sighed."1, 2, 3!" "BSB PARTY!!!!!!!!""What?" Chris asked."Yeah, go over there, and take lil Busta.""Cool, we get the good FOOD!""Told you it would work.""Where is everyoe going?" Ryan yawned."To the party over there," I said sitting on the hard pavement."I want to sleep!""Join the club! If we get them all onto some bus, and there is a whole bus with no one it, I'm using it.""Oooh, I want to come too.""You want to what?" Justin asked."Sleep with Ames.""WHAT!!!"I sat there and watched as yet another scene unfolded."Wait, I didn't mean it like that, I swear.""You better not have, jeeze!" I said from the ground."So what did you mean?" Justin asked."I meant I wanted to SLEEP. Since that is what Ames' is going to try to do.""Really?""Yeah, I mean we were up all night, and now we are tired and and, okay, I'm shutting-up.""Sounds good to me.""So where were you planning to sleep anyway?" Justin asked."Probably on top of the bus!""That would be interesting.""I know, seriously, I have no idea, but I do need some sleep.""I could um.""Ryan shut-up!" I pleaded."Okay!" he agreed.
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"Lalalalalalala!""Trip, cutie, SHUT UP!" Christina shouted for about the thrid time."Sorry, but for a party this is kind of boring. Where the heck is Justin anyway?""Sleeping!" JC said. "Something I wouldn't mind doing at this moment. BUT NO, he kicked us all out.""And someone didn't have breakfast this morning," Tyler said."You know what, I really did, and now you just better watch your butt.""I have tried that a few times," Key added."Oh yes and you should see her try!" Leslie laughed."Hey, I want to do something," Nick whined."I suggest you stick you r head outside and see if a fan screams or it's gets cut off first.""Yeah, I love you too Leslie.""So what are you up to?" Leighann said taking a seat next to Kelli."Nothing, just watching everyone complain about something," she softly replied."Sounds enjoyable, but I have an idea, next stop, we invade Britney's bus.""And do what?""I don't know tan, get away from these weird people.""Tan?""Yeah, even though we will all end up with skin cancer it can be fun.""Okay!""Ryan, I swear if you make another noise, you are going to walk all the way to Colorado!" Justin shouted again, as Ryan was fidgeting with something."Sorry, this is just weird sleeping on a moving bus.""RYAN SHUT-UP!""I AM!""Guys, come on, it is getting later and later and I'm tired.""We are all tired," Justin said and moved again in his bunk.Finally when Ryan made a load crash with something, I got up and moved myself to the back of the bus, shutting the door behind me. Slowly I removed Nick's Bryan Adams' CD from my bag and put it in the discmen. Closing my eyes, I pushed play and the first song pounded my ears. 'Summer of 69' was a great song, but trying to fall asleep to it, was not happening. I clicked a few buttons and Heaven slowly calmed my breathing as allowed myself to drift into a slumber."LUNCH!" AJ shouted and ran off the bus without anyone, even security."One day he is going to learn that if he doesn't want a lecture from Kevin, he is going to stay on the bus and wait," Key said while following him."Do we always have to stop and eat this junk?" Leslie complained."Um, you have only been here for the one stop," Nick said shaking his head."Yeah, but he always has to get those little toys and then he plays with them like a two year old or something.""Leslie, he is AJ, what other explanation do you want?""I don't know Leighann, maybe one that says he grew up.""Well, considering us girls are SO grown up, are you going to join us, that is if Britney will allow us to get onto her bus.""Oh does that mean what I think it means?""Have you ever known me not to?""Nope, then get them all up here!"
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"Anyone know why we stopped?" Ryan shouted throughout the bus. "Hello? Fine be that way, I'm gettig of this bus, and I'll find out for myself."Ryan trudged off the bus, and out into the parking lot of McDonalds."Hello, where is everyone?" Ryan said rolling his eyes."We are trying to get some food psycho!" Key said and walked into the door."Psycho, I'm the psycho, whatever.""Are you flirting Gosling?" Tyler asked."Me, flirting? I think you have the gold metal in that.""Yeah, that is why I have a girlfriend.""You know what, Tyler, so what he was flirting, at least he doesn't need to be forced out of someones room," Key commented."Sorry that Ilana was stuck in my room all night, it isn't like I had planned on that.""Wait Ilana was in there? With JC?""No, she was mearly using my room to talk to the little person living in her pinky finger.""You know what, I slept and your stupid teenage comments are not going to get to me. I'm liking my life, and your sorry butt isn't going to ruin it. Key, you going to come in?""Of course I am.""FLIRTING!""JERK!""Anything else we can buy at a 7-11?" Leslie asked Leighann and Kelli, as they had baskets of junk."Nothing that Britney doesn't already have.""This should be fun!""Are you going to get anything?" I asked in a muffled tone, when I had finally got up and walked back to the front of the bus."What? Can't I just sleep?" Justin whined."Yeah, I don't care," I said and sleepily walked off the bus.McDonalds wasn't my first choice for food, infact it looked revolting, especially while AJ wore half of it and wanted more."Where are all the girls?" I asked myself when I realized none of them were there."Where do you think?" Brian asked. "Leighann, has stolen them all once again, and we arn't invited.""Ahh one of those things. Brian you really don't want to have to listen to us gawk about how adorable or annoying ya'll are. Believe after awhile it gets rather old, but then we do have the games, movies, and chocolate. See you later!""Chocolate cannot be better then bestfriends.""Brian, eating the chocolate with your best friends is the best.""Hey, I take offense to that!""Yeah, well, bye!" I said and left McDonalds."Ya'll need soem help," I asked while I watched Kelli, Leslie, and Leighann carry everything."That would be nice!""So you woke up? Hope you slept well, because if you are coming with us, we are well, you'll see!" Leslie said raising her eyebrows."She spends to much time around BJ!""Ames, I know!"
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"So come on in!" Britney said holding the door to her bus open as the five of us entered."So are we ready to get this thng going?" Leslie said a little to peppy for her own good."No offense but you all are scaring me!" Ilana protested sitting on plush sofa."Believe me sista, it can get so much worse and I haven't even expericienced one of these things.""Thanks Christina, I feel so much better now that I know exactly what we are doing.""Oh, you are so welcome.""WHERE DID THEY GO!" Leslie shouted from inside one of the bags."Where did what GO!" Sam holared back."The bag of Snickers and Three Musketeers.""I think we got three mousekateers right here!""KEY, SHUT-UP!" We all said in unison."FOUND THEM!""I still want to know what we are going to do with them," Britney asked."I'll tell you as soon as we start a movie, which ones you have?""What do they do anyway? How can watching some stupid movie and talking about nails, hair, and food, be enjoyable?" Ryan asked."Because they also talk about us, dork," Trip said."Yeah like Christina!" "Ryan I swear you are really getting on my nerves this morning!" Tyler added."Hello, my loving brother and friends!" JC said smiling."Hello Mr. Cloud Number Nine!" Tyler said shaking his head."Where is Justin! I need to talk to Justin," Ryan said spinning in circles."Dude, what you need to do is stop acting like a fool, and realize that I'm right here!" Justin said."Come with me!""Okay," Justin said following Ryan through McDonalds into the bathroom."DID YOU SEE JC? DID YOU!?""You sound like Britney, oh maybe 10 YEARS AGO!""Thanks, but this is is...""Stupid!""Not the word I was searching for, but whatever. Seriously though...""Ryan all we did was put them in a room together. Nothing else, they already were starting to get back to those Emerald days anyway.""But still!""Okay, can we leave the bathroom now?""Having fun?" Nick asked entering the doorway. "Very much," Justin yawned."Hey," Ryan whined."Oh stop it! I'm going back to the bus!""Well, he is a little cranky!" Nick said following Justin."Yeah, well he didn't get much sleep!""I heard about that, what really happened?""You are expecting us to create people with things. Leslie you are a freak," Key said."Yeah, and that is why Ames showed me this forever ago one night when I was stuck listening to her and Nick. We made Nick candyman, a Brian one, AJ was really funny, and well, whatever. Try it!""Ames, is she saying that you gave her this idea?" Leighann asked."Possibly!" I said rolling my eyes. "Do you remember how Nick made one of a dog and then sat on it, and it melted?""Oh my god, and then our parents got home and he was finally taught how to do his own laundry.""He still can't do laundry, did you see the nice white silk outfits they all had, and he made them PINK!""Yeah, well at least he tried.""Guys what exactly are we doing here, these things will not stay together!" Christina complained trying to tape arms to the musketeer bar.
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"So it was a whole thing dealing with his mom?" JC asked as Ryan explained what happened."Yeah, he was a little freaked out about the whole deal, but then if it would have been my mom, I would have been just as bad.""But everything is cool now?" Trip asked. "Yeah, I just think he is still baffled about it, and he is working on almost no sleep.""But he'll survive, he always has, like when Joey sat on him for an hour," Chris said walking through the room. "Now, I want to know why JC was in a room with Ilana last night! Huh?""Ames, the head will not stay on," Key said as she tried another piece of tape. "So who are we all making?" I asked."Who ya think?" Leighann retorted."Um, let's see you are making Herold?""Ames, get a life!""I have a very nice one Ms. Doesn't Shave till she gets all dreamy.""Pitiful, Ms. Can't even fall for a guy, and needs our help.""Okay, now kindergarteners, help me get this head on ME!""Oh, and Ms. Egotistical starts.""Making yourself? I don't think a little snickers bar will work for a head, do you have a balloon anywhere, Britney? Her head is big and full of air.""Ames!!!"Kelli sat there unwrapping a Three Musketeer shaking her head as she took in what was going around her."Hey, we might have needed that one!" Leslie said toward her."Yeah, but I prefer to eat chocolate rather than making figures.""Even if it were Nick, come on think about a chocolate Nick. He will always taste good too.""Leslie, you are disugsting the poor girl." Christina replied, noticing Kelli's awkward smile."Actually, Nick always does taste good!""EWW, now she is disgusting me!" Leslie squirmed."Well, she has a point though. Brian does taste better than chocolate.""Guys, hello, I'm 12!""And Angel is 11, but loves this stuff," I replied."That's because you messed up her mind young.""Okay, anyway, what about you," Leighann said turning to me, "Does Justin taste better then chocolate.""NO!" Britney said."Hey, I think that was a question for me, Mrs. Bass! And yes he certainly does.""You know what the best thing is, kissing with chocolate in your mouth," Sam said leaning back into a pillow."Eww, I want to stop this talk. So, can we go tanning?""Chris you are a freak, it was two friends having some fun together.""Fun!" Chris said licking his lips and moving his eyebrows."I'm going away now!" JC said avoiding Chris' questions about Ilana, and walking into the back of the bus."So, Justin you okay?" Lance asked."Yeah, just thinking.""I heard last night was kind of trippy.""Kind of? Man, it scared the hell out of me, and then to realize how good I really have it. Even though nothing happened and my mom was never in danger, it still showed me how much I need her.""For some reason, we will always need our mom. It's just one of those things. I hate to admit it, but they know everything.""They know too much, just like she knew I was awake, worrying, and it is just scary, but then without it..""It's empty.""Exactly!"I sat there fooling with the candy, eating most of it. Key was now yelling at Leslie to get out of the tanning bed. Sam was wondering if she could somehow leave her legs out the tanning bed so she get rid of her softball tan. Ilana, Christina, and Britney were talking about their days on the MMC. Kelli was putting her wrappers into a cup while opening another and allowing the chocolate to melt in her mouth. Leighann was saying something to me, but then again I was day dreaming."Ames, hello, is anyone in there. My god, and she calls me crazy," Leighann said taping another snickers bar to the bottom of the three musketeer one.Considering, I was staring out the window enjoying the chocolate and thinkking of the night before, someone could have hit me with Sam's bat, and I wouldn't have noticed. It had been a scary night and I was just thinking about how lucky we all were. A new life was brought into the world instead of the thought that one might have been gone or hurt.
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"AMES! HELLO!" Leighann said hitting me with a piece of licorish."Sorry, just thinking about some things.""Yeah, for about the past fifteen minutes. So are you going to give yours hair. Considering, well you know, it would be cute.""Are you suggesting that my guy has bad hair?""No not all, his hair is cute.""Yeah you better say that!""So, when did you come up with this whole idea of making chocolate people?""It was one night when the Carter's were out and Brian was doing something with Kev, so I was over their place. Sorry to say, but Nick found it more entertaining to sit in front of that stupid Nintendo, and Leslie, Angel, and I were bored out of our minds. We were searching the kitchen and found some chocolate, and just got creative. Nick finally came in and just joined in.""You know you two scare me.""I think we scared a lot of people.""Yeah, but you matured, things got worse, and then we invited Kelli to come along, and Nick had to be a gentlemen.""What?" Kelli asked hearing her name."Nick has changed a bit since he met you. Not much he still can be a pest, but you've helped him mature to become an adult," Leighann replied."How?""Because you're a girl he likes, loves, and he has to make a good imprestion. Just like how when Leighann is around Brian is different in a few ways.""What do you mean Brian is different?" Leighann asked me."He doesn't pull all the little practical jokes. He still is the big brother, funny, perfect guy we all know and love, but he doesn't act as stupid.""Like what?""Like turning AJ's head blue.""He turned his head blue?" Kelli asked."With Kool-Aid!""Well, I have heard worse," Leighann said, before Leslie charged into the room."LOOK! I'M TAN!" Leslie shouted looking a little more red then tan."Yeah Leslie, we see that," Leighann said."Can we watch a movie?""Depends on what you want to see," Britney said opening a door to where she kept her videos."This one goes with the mood," Leslie said while taking out 'Three Musketeers'."Isn't that one of your brother's favorites?" Leighann asked."Yeah, well he isn't here so we'll just watch it without him.""Yo, Brian, come here!" Nick yelled through the bus."YOOOOOOOOO!" Brian shouted back at Nick."Yeah, anyway, when are we going to be in Kentucky?""Why does it matter to you?""I don't know, just wondering.""Just wondering? Sure you are, you are always just wondering and then getting into something we all have to get you out of.""No it is nothing like that, promise!""So that would mean you are doing it for someone special.""Not really.""Okay, yeah, then I say you can start remembering the schedule for yourself.""Fine! KEVIN!""Hey you know what we should do when we get to Colorado?" Lance asked."What?" Justin asked."Go to the movies! I kinda promised a few people we would do that sometime before the summer ended.""Tarzan?""Of course, we got to support ourselves.""Support ourselves in what?" JC asked, walking into the room still avoiding Chris."The coolest movie of the summer!""Tarzan?""Yeah, come on it is Disney!""It sounds good to me!" JC said."Hey, I want to know what you were doing last night?" Justin asked."God, I think I'm going to walk! You, and Chris, jeeze nothing happened!""Yeah, and that was what that little kiss meant outside of the pool.""What, you saw that?""Oooh, he got you!" Lance said taking a seat. "Come on JC, you know something is up with you two. It is like Wipeout and Mack reunite.""Maybe," JC said really starting to think about it."Maybe, we got a maybe here," Justin said.
hapter 241

"Maybe, a maybe with what!" Chris said opening the door to the back of the bus."Oh great, and now the person who lives to pry is here," JC said shaking his head."Wait, you got something out of him about Ilana. That is so not FAIR!""I just got skills!" Justin crowed."You both got the ability to be annoying!""Who is annoying now?" Tyler asked."He admitted to kind of liking Ilana.""Oh, I already knew all that. He has always liked her and has never really gotten over her. Now it is all up to her, right JC?""Oh god, not a single friend here!" JC said storming through the door. "I love this song!" Leslie said as the movie began with the video of 'All For Love'."Now let's see, we have Sting and Rod Stewart," Christina said. "And?""BRYAN ADAMS!" Key, Leighann, Leslie, Kelli, and I shouted at the same time."Geeze, sorry to have offended you.""Come on, Christina, he is like one of the best!" Leighann retorted."Yeah, Christina, get with it.""Oh and like you knew, Britney. Yeah whatever.""Hello, I own the movie!""Lordy!""And that is MY WORD!""Okay, shut-up and pay attention!" Leslie shouted.We all sat there and watched attentivly, as Chris O'Donnell and the other three musketeers fought to save the King's realm. Leslie resited a few of the lines, having it be one of Nick's favorite movies. Kelli almost lost in a dreamlike world was practically reading the script and loosing touch with the other people around her."I can see why Nick likes her," Leslie said nudging my side."Yeah, it would make sense, since they both like Bryan Adams.""But she is obessive, and I thought I was bad.""You are bad, she just knows this video better. It is like you and 'Edward Scissorhands'.""That is just because Nick is in it and we love to make fun of him.""But you are still obessed.""Okay, shut-up and watch the end." "THANKS KEVIN!" Nick said running back to where Brian was sitting. "He told me!" "Really, I hadn't noticed.""So what are you going to be doing in Kentucky anyway. We are there for three days.""Thanks for the information I already knew. I'll spend time with Harold, and my mom, my dad, the rest of my family. Go golfing or something.""You are so boring!""Yeah, and I love being boring. Beside, what are you going to be doing?""You'll just have to wait and see!!""Okay then, I will do just that.""You sure?" Nick said turning around quickly."YES!""Positive?""NICK!""Okay, I'm leaving, but one thing."
hapter 242

"Chris, I swear just GO AWAY!""JC, I'm your bestest friend, come on, please, buddy, pal, compadre.""Bye Chris!" JC said pushing back through the door and shutting it as Chris fell to the floor."Hey, JOEY!" Chris shouted through the door."HE ISN'T OUT HERE!" JC screamed back. "Wait a second where is Joey?" "So, I got to leave in two days," Brooke said patting Busta on the head, while she sat on the top stair to the bus."Yeah, I know, I still can't believe that Britney paid for your trip out here and that you actually agreed to come along. Why did you agree?""For a few reasons," she paid looking down at the dog."Like what?""One to get away and enjoy the summer. The other was Britney's persuasive agrument and well you.""Me, I like that.""Yeah you would! Joey, I haven't been totally honest here, with you and myself." "I love that movie," Leslie said sitting with her back to the couch."We noticed.""So now what?" Christina asked, streching."I want to know what happened last night with Ilana," Britney said."You do huh?" Ilana said sitting down on the floor and holding a pillow in her lap."Yeah, especially with that beautiful blush you have going there.""Well, Britney, nothing really happened. I think, we talked caught up with each other over these past years.""And what about that kiss?" I asked."Owe owe, and the plot does thicken," Christina said inching forward.""Oh god," Ilana said rolling her eyes, "I'm not sure of what happened, or what it meant.""But you liked it," Britney said nodding her head."Are you crazy, have you seen that guy, eyes, voice, body and all, who wouldn't have liked it?""So does that mean you want it to go any farther?" Christina asked."Well, I think we are both confused about what it all means and if it is an old flame or a new one.""She wants it to be a new one," Leighanne said poking my arm."Yeah, I really do, but you know!""Sure we do!" Sam said lifting an eyebrow.
hapter 243

"What do you mean honest?" Joey asked starting to get worried about the fact that these past few days had been the best he had spent in all his life."I mean first with myself about the way I feel when," she stuttered starting to pet Busta and make him squeal.Joey instinctively pulled Busta away and replied, "when what?""Joey, I'm rather attracted to you, I have been since I met you. However, at that time, I was kind of well, um, dating this other guy. He was a jerk, but he was also very close with Lita, a little to close.""Okay," he responded trying to comprehend everything she just said."Seeing that I had a liking for you, Lita used it to her advantage. Yeah, I did have a big liking for you, and I kept questioning what the heck I was doing dating such a jerk. That is why I was always so excepting of your call, they were like the highlight of the day. However, I knew if I broke up, then I would have been hurting Lita, causing hurt to Kyle.""Kyle, why would he be so upset if he knew you were miserable?""You see, Kyle has been a big brother to me ever since I can remember. He was always looking out for my best interest, until Lita that is. She warped his mind, and who knows what.""So your saying that we could never be?""No, no not at all, I wouldn't have kissed you and led you on like that. Kyle and I were just so nieve to Lita, and it wasn't till she....." "Peace and quite," JC said laying on his bed with a sigh."Not quite," Tyler said walking in."Not now, I'm on the phone!" JC said quickly pulling out the cell phone from his bag."Ooh with who?""Um, MOM!""Oh okay," Tyler said reluctantly walking away.JC not actually knowing he hit a button, realized it started to ring, "What the?" he said looking down at it waiting for someone to pick it up.~Hello~"Um, hi!"~Hi, JC!~ I replied into the phone."Ames, hi, I didn't mean to uh call you."~Well, thanks.~"So what are you all up too over there?"~Making chocolate people and talking to Ilana about last night.~"Oh god, sorry I called."~Aww, are they all pestering you?~"Of course!"~LET ILANA TALK!~ Christina shouted from the background.~You want to talk to her? Um, nevermind, you have no choice~~Hi!~"Hey beautiful!"~That's me, they are really getting on my nerves now.~"Yeah, well you only have the girls, I'm stuck with Chris, Justin, Ryan, Tyler, Lance!"~Aww, poor baby!~"So are you enjoying yourself?"~Can I say, HOW MUCH LONGER?~
hapter 244

"Till what?" Joey asked."Till Kyle found her," Brooke said squirming around getting a weird feeling in her stomach, "I mean Lita was you know with you know.""Are you okay?""Yeah, I'll be okay, and thank you!""Thank me? Why?""For making this whole beitchy Lita thing better!""Okay," Joey said with a lose for word."Anyway, what are we going to do for the next two days?""Oh, I don't know HAVE FUN!" "I love seeing Nick happy and all but he is driving me crazy!" AJ complained."Tell me about it!" Brian shook his head."If mhe says he has plans for Kentucky again, I'll kill him.""Kill me and heaven will be a disappointment.""Okay Nick," Brian said."Did I tell you about the girl I met?""Sort of, you always meet a girl Bone.""But I actually talked to this one and you know got to know her instead of bumping and grinding.""Ummm.""Her name was Roxy! Sher was kind of cool, not really my type of girl, but nice none the less. She wasn't the basic get down, drinker, rocking girl! She could dance, but mostly she was down to earth with attitude.""Did she seem to have a clue who you are?""Bri, I'm AJ, not BSB, not everyone is obesessed.""So she was taklking to Alexander?""NO AJ!""I know only your mom, and then Nicky.""Yeah Duckling.""NICK!!!!!!" Howie shouted from the back of the bus. "We have what another 3 hours and from what I hear in the back, Chris is hungry."~Yeah and then what? Dealing with all of them? I can't imagine Justin!~"Or Christina and Britney for that matter, but what about Ames, well Key and Leslie seem priable, Leighann well, is older but still, and then Kelli,"~Ames and Kelli don't seem to care to much, thank god!~"Even Lance, well he is into Tarzan at this moment."Ilana took my phone and walked to the front of the bus, ~So what are we going to do about their assumptions anyway?"~"Did you just leave the room or something?"~Maybe, so you know, I mean, okay, we kissed!~"I know, and now you have made me even more confused, thanks Ilana."~And your flirting is making me confused.~"Well we are just two confused people who have really bad infatuations."
hapter 245

"WE ARE HERE!" Lance screamed as he ran through the bus around seven that evening."Thanks for that already known information pal!" Trip said walking by him. "Well, hello if it isn't Brooke and Joey sitting at a table, did you two have fun today?""I told you we should have stopped hours ago, my stomach is eating itself.""Chris, you are just fine!" JC said rolling his eyes. "Ames!" a voice shouted as I stepped off the bus with a small bag."WHAAAATTT?" I retorted looking at his bright expression."Nothing," Nick said and walked by me."Okay what is up with him?""You don't want to know," AJ slurred."Something about Kentucky," Brian said, "And he is driving the whole bus mad, because he won't tell any of us and none of us care to guess.""Thanks for the information," I said and walked through the doors towards the front desk. "The party on the 6th floor!""Oh, okay um, here you go Miss, can I, well I'm not supposed to ask, but do you think that they could give me," the receptionist rambled."I think I can probably manage it," I replied taking the note pad and passing it around."Thanks, just what I wanted," Howie said and handed it to Chris."Look I have a million dollars in writing in my hands.""Thank you Chris, now sign it so I can give it back to the nice lady," I said pulling at the paper as he quickly scribbled his name. "Here you go, and thank you." I took the keys and laid them on the table for everyone to grab one."So when are we leaving?" Lance asked."Huh?" Britney asked wrapping her arms around his waist."To the movies, I promised I'd take you all, and I really want to go!""Whatever," she said and playfully hit his chest. "Go see when the movie is."As Lance walked off to look for a newspaper the rest of us waited for the elevator to take us bunch by bunch up six floors. "Are we going to go see the movie with them?" Justin whinned."Justin, geeze, of course we are," I said shrugging him off my back as I placed m bag onto the bed."I'm just tired and I need a break.""Justin, I'm going to the movies, and it should be a nice break back to reality.""Ames," Justin said pouting with his bottom lip out."I want to see Tarzan too, hello Nick!" I said placing some things in the bathroom as Nick followed Kelli in."Hey Ames, we are going to the movies tonight!""I know," I said rolling my eyes at his peppiness."You know we will be in Kentucky soon.""Yes Nick!""Why are you so excited about Kentucky anyway?" Justin asked."Because I am! I'm planning stuff.""Like with horses and sunsets or the derby?" I asked."Not really but whatever!""Descriptive Nick, really helpful.""Thanks Ames!""Can you leave?" Kelli asked."ME?" Nick asked."Or us?" I asked motioning to Justin and me."More like Justin and Nick!"
hapter 246

"You just kicked our two guys out, Kelli! What do you need?""First to change and secondly to ask you about Kentucky.""About Kentucky itself or Nick?""Ames!""Really I have no clue what he has planned, and if I did I would warn you. But he could have anything planned he is Nick. All I know is that Brian, Harold, Mr. Littrel, and whoever wants to come. Leighann is being persuaded but she stinks.""She stinks at what?""Golfing.""Okay, anyway you ready to go?""Uh, yeah!" "Hey Justin?""Yes, Nick, I know we are going to Kentucky!""No, I was just wondeing, nevermind, I'll just take her.""Take who?""Ames!""Okay, you do that!""I will!""Hey Trip!" Justin shouted at the first sight of another form of life."Hey! You noticed where Ilana and JC went!""Yep, and I don't care anymore. So you coming with the rest of the gang?""You mean skip a free movie, I don't think so!"Nick walked into his room, where he was nicely matched up with Brian."Hey Bri and Leighann and of course the bestest lil brat!""SHUT-UP NICK!" Leslie shouted."To bad you can't go to Kentucky!""See he is driving us crazy," Brian said backing up into Leighann."He is just excited, it is good for him, and it means he will sleep tonight.""You have a point there, unless he has more sugar and then I'm kicking him into the hallway for someone to drop pity on him. Are we ready to leave yet?""Yes," Leslie said puling on Brian's arm. Leighann pulled Nick's arm back into the room where she closed the door and left Brian just stareing at it. "Come on guys," Lance said leading us into an empty theater. Joey, who I thought would have stayed back, was carrying a load of food, and when Justin reached to help him, more of it ended up on the floor then in either of their hands."Well, that was progressive," I said while walking to the back of the theater."You're still into sitting as far away as possible?" Nick said behind me."Yes I am.""You can see the best here anyway!" Kelli replied."Yeah shorty!" Key shouted following Ryan down one of the middle seats."Key, shut-up," I shouted back."Yeah I can think of other reasons why you would," Justin began until he saw Brian's face. "You can throw your popcorn at people.""Yeah, sure that was what you were thinking, now sit down!" I said rolling my eyes."It was exactly what I was thinking, now you sit down.""And we are sitting near them because?" Nick asked Kelli."Because your too lazy to walk to the other side of the row.""Whoa!" Justin said looking at her."She had a coke earlier," I said as if it would give a better explanation."I enjoyed the coke too!" Kelli said sticking her tongue out and sitting down. Nick just nodded his head and sat down next to her."Oh previews!" Leslie shouted next to Brian."Shut-up!" Nick said throwing a snow-cap at her head and accidently hitting Leighann. "Sorry!""Nickolas Gene Carter!""Sorry sorry sorry!" he said sinking into the seat.
FIND 247 and 248
hapter 249

"Ames!" a voice shouted through the house the next morning."Nick, shut-up," I said throwing a pillow at the door. "Get up and help me fix this!" he said pushing the door open, and into Key's side. "Oh sorry, um, Key!" "Nick! Look at the clock! GO AWAY!""Ames, come on, please, or Mrs. Littrel will kill me.""Better for us!""GET UP!""SHUT-UP!" Key said kicking him."Ames?" Nick said whiningly. "Give me ten minutes brat!""Thank you!" he said smiling. "Morning Kelli!""Yeah," she mumbled and rolled back over. "What the heck have you done?" I asked walking into the kitchen."Got out all the ingredients for buttermilk pancakes.""You got me up for this?""Come on, this way you can get in trouble with me.""Fine, but lets go," I said sleepily and picking up the flour. "That is the second time Nick has made something that was edible in one summer. I'm impressed," Howie replied after eating blueberry pancakes."I'm only just beginning!""So where is everyone going today?" I asked scrubbing the pot."To places," Nick replied."NOT YOU!""I think we might go searching the area for some basketball courts," Trip said."That sounds good!" Justin added."Kristen and I are staying here," Leighann began, "and no Kevin you can't stay here!""Fine, I'll leave then and go spend time with my REAL family!" Kevin retorted."Anyway, we need to get going," Harold said looking at Brian and his father."No one else is coming?" Brian asked."I am!" AJ said, "Give me a few minutes.""God, AJ!" Harold said shaking his head. "This is not fair!" I said after I had to putt three times on the third hole."You're still beating me!" AJ said."Yeah, cause you are only here because you like to wear the ridiculous clothing. You swing like a freak.""I like being a freak, it is my identity.""Yeah, okay! Jeeze it had been so long since we were all out here. Brian do you remember?""Yes, Ames, I do. We came out here everyday that one summer and by the end of July, I was beating Harold bad. Of course I lost to my father and your parents, but it was worth it.""Yeah, and now I can clean you up with my skills, and since you haven't practiced," Harold snarled."You'd think we could just have a nice family outing without the sibling rivalry, but I guess that will never change," Mr. Littrel said rolling his eyes before he set up his next shot."A good compition is always good for us!" AJ added."Well, at least I know I won't loose," I said taking my driver out of the bag and patting AJ on the back."Love the confidence there! We all should have that spirit.""AJ, be quite!" Brian shouted.
hapter 250

"Nick, what are you doing, can you please explain all this.""Kelli, honey, just let it go, flow with it!""NICK!""I love you!""I'm going to kill you."The two were in a car going to Nick's mysterious place. Kelli was becoming impatient especially since she couldn't see where they were going or what Nick was doing while he was driving."Nickolas," she continued to whine."You have only been sitting there for about ten minutes, and we still have at least another twenty, just relax.""I can't relax when I hear you playing with things while you are driving and then I can't see and this thing is hurting my eyes.""It will be worth it!""It better be!" "Hit it with your best shot!" AJ began to sing on the 6th hole."AJ, this is a quite game, not something where we all scream and act like our fans," Brian protested."So, Ames, how has the tour been going?" Harold asked."Like most of every other tour, I mean, it is bigger, more people, and nicer rooms.""So you don't have to share with Leighann, Bri, and Kevin.""Nope, sharing one with Kelli!""Yeah, she seems like a nice girl.""She is. Plus belonging to Nick!""Oh, and that is why he was all excited about today and called me a million times in the past week or so.""Yeah what has he been planning?""All kinds of stuff." "That's right JC's birthday is the day after next," Britney said while waiting to get the ball. "Are we going to do anything?" "Is Ilana going to do anything?" Christina asked."Guys, leave them alone," Lance proclaimed, "if something is going to happen let it happen, if it doesn't then it is probably for the better.""Besides they are out with each other right now," Tyler added."Are we going to play?" Justin asked while Ryan was folding the ball, and Key was trying to get it from him."Not a possibility, those two are in their world," Chris said."Well, RYAN!" Justin shouted and just took the ball before running to the other end.
hapter 251

"Are we there yet?""Just keep telling yourself that I love you," Nick said shaking his head and continued to drive."Nickolas!""Two minutes! I promise!""1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10---""Okay I get the point! Making the last left, finding the perfect spot, getting out of the car, WALKING AROUND THE CAR, OPENING YOUR DOOR, helping you out, pulling the thing off, and...""You dork!" "A hot dog sounds so good," I said as we took the 9th hole break for lunch."I'm still loosing," AJ said and jumped around the nice air-conditioned sitting area."Him and his confidence," Harold said shaking his head."It keeps him going," Brian said."So you still can't talk Leighann into golfing?" Mr. Littrel asked."No more then you can with Mom. But she is..""Our second mother," AJ added."He has a point you know," I said."Yep, and that is why I love her!" "So, was it like anything you had expected?" Nick asked as Kelli just stood there for a few minutes."Not quiet," Kelli replied."Disappointed? Surprised? Alive?""The last two. I mean I thought we'd just go out, you know to a stable, or a feild, or here, but not like this.""Well, go get all that stuff you need.""What stuff?""You know the stuff you need to use to go out there and actually be apart of it all.""What, you mean this isn't the end of it all?""You think this was all I could do? This is just mid-day, we still have lunch, dinner, and sunset.""But I, me, Kelli, can go out there where the..""That is if you get ready.""I love you!" she said kissing him quickly and walking over to the pile.Nick had taken Kelli to one of the places that the two of us would have never guessed, sort of. The were standing under the seats of the place where the Kentucky Derby was held. We had imagined a night of watching the races or just sitting there, but they were actually behind the scenes. In the pile Kelli walked to sat her helmet and chaps, plus a saddle, crop, boots, and whatever else she needed to climb upon a real racing horse."Well, go pick one out," Nick said."Any of them? Isn't that kind of dangerous since I don't know any of them and what theyare capable of?""Not considering that Ms. Juliann here is at your complete service.""Hi, I'm going to at least inform you of what I think would be best considering size and experance. But I'm sure you have a few favorites that you probably want to look at.""Thanks," Kelli said looking at Nick like he was crazy.They walked the whole place but Kelli had her eye one horse, Charismatic, the new racer who had done extremely well."Yeah, I like him alot too.""Hey, guys, I'm going to go sit down out there.""Alright bye Nick!""I love him alot too.""Yep!"
hapter 252

"So is Kelli going to enjoy herself today?" I asked Harold while AJ took a few practice shots."If she likes what Nick said, she can't get much better.""Huh, why is everyone so annoying, I just want to know what he has planned since he has been talking about it for a week.""Just wait till tomorrow, you'll love it.""Helpful, Harold, just give me more to ponder over." "And there she goes, Kelli, walking really slowly, on that horse that I forgot it's name. But she looks like she knows what she is doing, and has no clue I have a camera," Nick said from the seats. "It is so cool to see her smiling face and the way she is radiant with everything she does, um, yeah. Anyway," Nick continued realizing that he was going to be giving her the copy and what he was saying was embarassing. "Although no one is here to exactly race her, Kelli sure does look fine as she begins to start a trot. I am so good. Oh wait and there, another person on a horse, Ms. Juilann. Oh, and I wonder what they are talking about. It looks, yes, I think it does, they are going to race. It might not be official, but it is a race in the best place for them. Well, they seem to be counting and oh they are off," he said before humming a little tune. "And Kelli is in the lead. I feel bad for the horses, their legs have to hurt from all that running and leaping so far in the air. Well, I guess they are tranned that way. Anyway, it looks close, Kelli is keeping speed but Juilann is right on her back, they should get rearview mirrors. They are making the turn, and Juilann is slowing down, way down, wait they are going into a second lap. This is a close race everyone. I have no clue what I am talking about, but Kelli is still in front and winning. GO!"Nick continured to record the whole outing while Kelli was riding. It was true he had no clue what he was talking about and when they sat to watch this movie the cute little puns or jokes would make some people laugh more AT him. It was great though, because Kelli was happy and that is what Nick was trying to accomplish, making himself happy, more happy then he had ever known, and Nintendo cou;dn't even be compared to that. Kelli did realize that Nick was recording when she was doing some jumping and she shook her head, but the camera didn't seem to bother her. This was home and in the small rings nothing was going to stop her."Sorry to have to tell you this," Juilann began, "butwe have to be closing up. It is about four o'clock, and the supervisior will be coming around.""Thank you so much!" Kelli said still in an awe."No, thank you for showing up, I have really enjoyed myself. It isn't everyday that I can come out here and ride plus being in the presence of a Backstreet Boy.""It was our pleassure, and we are truly greatful for everything you have done today," Nick said shaking her hand."One question, there is this wall where people sign and there are a few workers here who love if you signed it, plus this little thing for my younger sister.""Of course," Nick said while Kelli was preparing to leave."If you ever want to come back, we would love to have you, especially if you are going to ride here in the next few years," Juilann said as the left."It's my dream," Kelli said and got into the car. "Yeah, and it just shows you all where you learned all your talent," Mr. Littrel said after he had beaten us all."I still beat Harold," Brian said making a face.""I LOST!" AJ proclaimed."Yeah, thanks for the comic relief all day, AJ," I said as he seemed happy and not having a care in the world."I enjoy being with y'all fathers it makes it all family like and I never got to see that. Thanks for letting me come.""AJ you are welcome at any time," Mr. Littrel said. "Now let's go see what they have done to my house."
hapter 253

"Hey Bri, you mind if I use your car?" I asked as we were all strenly told not to go into the house."No go right ahead..""Thanks, I want to just drive around and rememver everythuing.""Okay Ames," Brian said smiling. "So basketball?" "What else can be better then that?" Kelli asked Nick."Probably nothing, but I did think watching the sunset would be cool. Nice ending to a nice day.""Perfect day!""Princess, it was only perfect because you enjoyed yourself.""Well, my perfect prince, I ove you, even if yu had never taken the time to do that, but I'm glad you did. This is more then I had ever dreamed and...""Yeah, shut-up, pick up the phone and call her."" Love you! AMES!" Kelli shouted into the ohone after I picked it up.~Kelli, so what has he been doing?~"Oh my god," she started, and retold everyting that happened.~Never even crossed my mind, he is such a jerk. I wish I would have known,~I said sighing. ~Glf was interesting, I came in 4th, but that is okay, I had fun.~"And I think everyone did."~Yeah, Nick hasn't said anything about Leighann has he? We still can't go in the house.~"Nope not a word. I don't think we are even coming back there for awhile."~Oh the sunsets here are nice. Alright I'll see you when you finally stroll into the room tonight. Have fun, bye!~"Bye Ames."The phone clicked off and I pulled out of the elementary school parking lot towards the basketball courts where I knew everyone was."Hey!" I shouted and walked up to the few people that weren't actually playing basketball buut were sweating and breathing."Hey, we heard you lost," Chris complained."Oh, not as bad as you will loose your ego when I beat you right here!""Yeah Ames!" Britney shouted. "So are you going to join in or just sit there like a bump on a log over there," she said motioning to Christina."I'll play if you let me steal Justin in about half an hour.""So that's who it is! Justin, I should have known that one, he doesn't even realize she is here.""Let's give Harold a prize! So what's the game?""Whenever you are tired you come out and the n someone goes in for you, no teams, just play," Britney explained."So what if I want to go in?""Then you kick someone off, come on!"Britney worked it well, she took AJ's place and I took Trip's leaving us on opposite teams of each other and Lance or Justin."Hey there!" I said as the ball was heading up the court."Hey, now just watch it, you are going to get stuffed," Jusin proclaimed."Whatever, I got Key, Bri, Lance, and Chris! You are going down!""Yeah, now move!" he said getting the ball and making a perfect shot. "AMES!""Sorry Key!""What I'd tell you?" Justin said mocking me."You told me that your ego is your worst feature!"The game went on, everyone in and out! I was enjoying myself, but was closing in and I had some other things I wanted to do before returning to Leighann's craziness!
hapter 254

"Ames where are we going?""Somewhere that if you tell Brian about I'll kill you!" I said to Justin as I drove up the dirt road."So no one else knows about?""Well, Key does, Nick does, and I bet Kelli does, even though Nick promised to keep it between us.""So I should feel privledged to see this?""Exactly and I also I have to get Nick and Kelli to come back for whatever Leighann has planned." "Nick, why are we walking through woods?" Kelli asked as they kept walking deeper into darkness."Because I want to share something with you!""I'm not complaining, nope, this has been a wonderful day and it can only get better. Are we lost?""No we are not." "Come on," I said pulling on Justin's arm. "See we marked all the tree so we would always remember. I guess it is kind of childish and all, but this where Key and I would to get away. Why we showed Nick, I have no idea.""You are crazy!""Yeah, I know! Now hurry-up!""Kelli over here!" a voice was saying."I told you they were here. I might not know everything he has planned but I know alot, and it has been at least a year since we have been down here." Justin kept following me without responding."Nick hold-up. Ames?" Kelli asked looking at me with a puzzled face."What you think I woul dlet you have all the fun without me?""But he didn't tell you?""Kelli, I know him and when you said sunset, I knew he would be up here. Now a few more feet and we are in the best place in the world."Kelli and Justin exchanged glances and kept following me."Nick, I can't believe you!" I complained when I reached him."I can't believe you are interupting.""You promised!""Ames, that was what a million years ago.""So in a MILLION YEARS are you going to break more promises?""Ames, sorry, but do you really care?""Yeah, it is just the principle.""Ames?" Kelli said looking at me with a pleading face."Okay, but later you are going to be hurting so bad!""Thank you!" Nick replied like he had won."So what do you think?" I asked.
hapter 255

The two looked arouond at the small clearing in the middle of no where. It seemed to have gotten smaller over the last few years, but then we were all getting bigger. The small place where we would dip our feet in the small stream seemed to only fit at most two. But when you looked up, all that was seen was the bright sky. It wasn't like watching the sunset over a cliff, or at the beach, but it was pretty in it's own way. It had a more personal feel to it, one that had so many memories and would somehow keep producing more."Well?" I asked again."What is this?" Justin said pointing to a tree."It would be Key's and my attempt to do carving. That there is a horse, and a bear, and then our initials, the three who have been here.""That is a bear? It looks like a blob!""Justin, shut-up!""Like the horse?" Nick asked."It is very wonderful," Kelli said shaking her head as her eyes widened since she was completely lieing."So how'd you find this place?" Justin asked."Key and I always had an adventure going on, I'm surprised we ever found our way back. We didn't start searching the woods till we were about 8 and 9, and then everything we did was down here. From playing Grease, Sound of Music, Peter Pan, and whatever else we could come up with. Then Key started meeting guys, and I was still Ms. Innocent who wanted to follow Brian around everywhere. I would come here by myself all the time to read, think, cry, you know leave everything stressful behind."The three of them just stood there intentively listening."Then Nick showed up.""Yep, I spoil everything.""Yeah you were always good at that.""Not always," Kelli replied."So what happened after Nick did show up?" Justin asked."He followed me down here one day and swore not to tell anyone.""What really happened?""Nick and I grew close obvisiously and as expected we began dating. What was it like two weeks or something? That was just awkward, but oh well.""Awkward, that was stupid," Nick had to add."I'm so glad you enjoyed those weeks too, Nick. You really know how to make someone feel good about themselves, especially when they had no regrets in finding that her best friend was like a brother.""Hey," Justin and Kelli said in unison."You know what I meant!" I said with a scowl. "Anyway, this place is just someting special. Oh yeah before I forget we have to back by 8ish for Leighann." "Leighann, this is my house, come on!" Brian pleaded from the doorway."Nope, your mom said I could use it, so go away!""Leighann," Brian whined. "I hate this you are like an inch taller then me," he said and pouted away."Hey Kristen hows everything going in there?" Leighann shouted and walked back into the kitchen. The four of us sat on the blanket which I had remembered to bring, unlike Nick who was going to get all dirty. It was nice just sitting in there doing nothing, and stearing at the sky. That was untill there we loud steps heading towards us."What the?" I began and realized what it was.
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"This is going to be cool, promise, now come on!""This is ridiculous if you ask me!""Shut-up, it isn't like you had to come anyway.""But I did.""And why might that be?""Guys, be quite," I said as the other two people grew closer to us. "Yeah, great way to capture the guy, drag him into the woods and then complain about it.""She seems to like the woods a little too much, I've noticed," Justin replied."That was different," I protested, "we were both forced into that.""RYAN, geeze you are an idiot.""Is that supposed to be a compliment?""It could be whatever you want it to be, now watch your step, there is no way I can carry you back. Why did you come with me anyway?""She is so blunt!" Nick whispered."I came because I had nothing better to do and you always seem to have something fun to do," Ryan replied."Guys, come here," Justin motioned as we all quietly backed up out of the small clearing."Well, we are here," Key said and absent mindly sat on the blanket, while Ryan just looked at her."Do you plan this?" he asked."No, just an idea.""The blanket?""And four people you don't want to be here with! Key I thought you were a little better with flirting," I said."I thought this was supposed to be a secret place?""Yeah and you really kept it that way!" I said looking at her."Yeah and like you and Nick did?""At least we arn't using it for seducing people!" Nick said. Kelli happily hit him."Watch it, she is my sister you know," I said standing up for her. "Well, this evening just keeps getting more interesting," Justin said shaking his head and sitting back down. "Hey JC," Ilana called from the pinic table the two had found at nearby park."Yeah?""What ya doin'?""Watching you.""Why?""Because I feel like it!" The two flirted."Well can you come over here for a second?""Maybe.""Please?"JC slowly got up and walked to sit on top of the table next to Ilana."Well?" he asked."What are we going to tell everyone when we get back tonight?""I don't know what do you want to tell them?""That was completely unhelpful.""Really I don't know. It is so confusing, it has been confusing for the past few weeks. Emotions, feelings, infatuations, I have no idea. You?""I think I'm pretty sure I know what my heart wants but my mind is scared to admit it and take that chance.""So do we try or ignore it?""Doesn't that saying go it is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all.""But have we already lost once?""JC, I think we will both regret it if when I leave we just go our own seperate ways and don't at least try. I think it is worth that chance, what do we have to lose anyway? I think I don't want to just sit here and wait anymore. I think we should at least give each other the benefit of the doubt. I think..""I think you should just shut-up and go with the flow," JC said taking one hand in his as the other roamed her.There they were, the two confused beings who had just found an answer to the most important question they had. Sitting there on top of a pinic table they innocently kissed. It was as if the wonders of the world had been just revealed and they were the first to realize that those were nothing compared to the way they were feeling at this very moment.Ilana broke off the kiss first, "So what are we going to tell them?""Who cares, let them guess," JC replied placing his lips back on hers.
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"I can't believe you just did that!" I whined when I had maple syrup from pine combs all over me. "Leighann is going to kill us!""I think we should eat you for breakfast," Key suggested."Sounds good to me!" Justin said."Yeah, well come here," I said wrapping part of his frame with goo."Thanks, now we can fully enjoy this wonderful feeling of grossness.""Yes, anyway," Kelli said sitting next to the stream, "Don't we kind of need to be getting back? Especially since Ames is like a pancake and needs to get that off before it completly dries.""Yeah we should be," Nick replied, "I don't need Leighann mad at me now, with tomorrow and everything.""Tomorrow, what are we doing tomorrow?" I asked as Justin and I followed Kelli and Nick back into the woods."Like I'm telling you," Nick replied."Hey, come on," Justin called back to Ryan and Key."Don't worry we will catch up!" Key said back."Sure they will," Justin said rolling his eye. "She isn't going to let you in!" Brian protested as I walked up to the door."I don't care, this stuff is sticky!""Ames!""Brian! Shut-up! Leighann, I'm coming in, going up the stairs and taking a 5 minute shower," I shouted before she could even reply."Wait I have this stuff on me too," Justin complained."Later!" Brian said. "I can't believe they didn't kick her out. THIS IS MY HOUSE!""Yeah and that is your girlfriend controling it!""Justin, I'm going to kick you off of my whole yard in a second.""Okay," Justin replied and walked to the edge of the property. "NOW WHAT?""I'm going to ignore him, LEIGHANN IT IS EIGHT O'CLOCK NOW!""THREE MORE MINUTES!" she shouted through the door."NICKOLAS?!""What now?" Nick asked confused."What does she have going on in there?""Stuff for you, but I thought you would have figured that by now, and then tomorrow....""I want my house back," Brian pouted. "So when are we going back?" Ryan asked Key."Whenever I feel like it!""Great answer, so informative.""Yeah, that would be me. So why did you really follow me here? Just because I'm fun?""Key, I'm not giving in!""So does that mean flirting does mean something?""Key, I'm like two years older then you.""So?""So, this whatever you have planned is a no.""Planned? I have nothing planned, other then to live, be happy, and control the world.""You are on your way to doing that, but this?""What? Flirting? I do it with everyone."Ryan was trying to be nice but in the same time trying to prove to himself that Key was just a younger girl who he would never be interested in. Key on the other hand, was trying to make him like her, but keeping her ego at it's best. It was ridiculous, but neither of them wanted to leave or have the conversation ended."You do not flirt with everyone, Justin, Nick, Brian?""They have girlfriends! Besides you were flirting with me too, so how do I know you have nothing planned?""Because I followed you up here.""Yeah, but you could have gone with the others when they went back.""And deal with all that cutesie stuff?""I know, I wouldn't have really wanted to have risked seeing that either.""So why did you lead me up here?" Ryan inquired."Because I your fun!""I'm fun? Well, that is a first. Anyway, dear child..""Child, yeah, okay, Mr. Preteen hottie wannabe!""Arn't they appecting us to return sometime tonight?""Who cares, it is all Leighann and Nick stuff which all that lovely junk.""Well, I have things to check-up on.""So your going to leave me here?""I asked if you were coming and you practically said no.""You are going to leave me here. Well, bye then!""Bye!""Ryan!""Come on!"
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"Ya'll ready?" Leighann called from the door."BATHROOM!" AJ shouted and raced Chris into the house."Well, everyone else can come into the house," Leighann said shaking her head."Thank god, you didn't mess up my room or anything?" Brian asked."Not really.""That is a good sign""So how was the golf game?" Leighann asked him."I can still beat Harold!""How'd Ames do?""She will always beat AJ, but we just don't play enough to be that good at it.""So shall we go into this cool world.""This better be good, or I'm leaving you!""So I can start seeing AJ now?""Cute!" Brian smirked."Come on!""Tim and Jarold!" Kevin shouted and walked into the room."Hey bro!" They said wrapping him in a hug and the three went off to the side."If that is the big surprise Leighann, you are never going to be allowed to throw another surprise ever!""Brian, I'm not that lame, give me a break.""Okay, so what else do you have planned?""Not really planned just to show you!" Leighann said and walked into the other room."Ames, girl, hello, over here!" AJ shouted from across the room for some reason."What?" I shouted back."I don't know, you are wet!""It is called a shower.""Aww, a shower, who is getting married.""AJ, shut-up," I said and walked away. "So what is this big surprise Nick?""This is Bri and Kev's night! So you may not be too surprised but don't worry you'll have yours soon enough.""Oh God, that is so encouraging Nick!""Be scared!""Okay!" I said turning away from him. "Where are the normal people?""Haven't you noticed we arn't normal people?" Trip asked."We arn't even close.""So, what are we all doing here?""I have no clue, Leighann planned whatever we are doing.""I have an idea, we find some music!""Yeah if you like James Taylor, gospel, country, and I think some 80's stuff.""Well, we can check them out," Trip finished and walked out of the room."He has no clue what he is getting into to." I had no idea what the big surprise was, or why we all had to wait to come into the house. Leighann was known however for her strange surprises, you never knew when she was going to do something but it was always enjoyable when she did.For most of the night though, we all sat around and just talked. The house was small and the people were loud so and it wasn't like I hadn't been talking to everyone for the past few months anyway. I went out the familiar backyard and closed the sliding door on my way. Through all years they had kept up the swing set that I had always wanted to have at my house. Walking over to what was my swing, I sat down and just stared at the night sky."Hey!""Hey, I didn't know anyone was out here.""Really, I hadn't known!" Tyler said and walked over to the other swing."So what are you doing out here?""I was just going to ask you the same thing.""I'm just enjoying the moment and memories, plus escaping the noise, now you?""Thinking!""About what?""I don't know, really, I guess I'm just zoneing out.""That can be a good thing, to just get away and ignore everything. I rather enjoy it.""Hey, you wanna dance?""To what?""The music from my zoneing out.""Okay, I guess," I said smiling.Tyler took my hand and we just kind of stood there and swayed along withthe breeze."Now what are you thinking?" Tyler asked."How crazy and fun and nice you are!""Yeah, I know!""You are rather stupid too.""That was a compliment?""If you take it that way."
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"Hey, what you doing with my girl?"I rolled my eyes as the sliding door opened."Your girl huh? When'd she become yours? She was the one who accepted me."Justin charged the two of us, and I just stood there and watched as he tried to tackle Tyler."Um, how's this sound you two can have each other and I'll leave you alone?""Sounds good to me?" Tyler remarked."Bye guys!" I said shaking my head."Leighann wants you in there," Justin said still attacking Tyler."Thanks!"The two continued to fight and I walked back into the house where I music was off and eveyone was quite.It was rather sc7ary to see that, from a room of people who couldn't even sleep silently."What's going on?""Leighann and her show," Brian said moving over so I could sit next to him."A show or what she is showing us?""Ames, I have no idea, I just date her.""For the past six years. You two scare me sometimes.""Well, since you all are still wondering why you could not come into the house, Kristen and I are here to explain. Nope, we have nothing big planned, sorry to those who think we could do so much better. Really we could," Leighann began. "But instead of pulling out our hair and stressing over perfections, Kristen and I decided to have fun. The only time we weren't enjoying ourselves was when we had to clean up. We laughed, made a mess, enjoyed the memories, regreted somethings, and then thought, they are going to kill us if we don't do something major. So the knives are just over there if anyone has that urge to just take revenge, but remember that we spent the whole day on this and it comes completely from our hearts.""Okay, that was a nice LONG introduction for something so pitiful. Anyway, we need some help and they know ho they are," Kristen said. Tim, Jarold, Nick, and the Richardson's and Littrel's all stood up and went into the kitchen behind the wall."Now, from watching all those home movies, here is a nice little stage and yes you are the audience. Nick whenever you feel like becoming an idiot we are ready.""This is only for you and Brian, Leighann, and if you back out tomorrow I will take one of those knives," Nick said from behind the wall. "I can't believe this." Slowly he walked out into the opening, and well, it was a sight. Nick was dressed in pink from head to toe. Not like girlie looking stuff, just in pink. I just hoped that whatever he had planned for the next day, Leighann was going to be doing this double-time. The little show began and Nick sat down on the floor while everyone else just watched and tried not to laugh. Anyway, Jarold came out having a green tee-shirt on and brown pants. He put his arms up and seemed to imitating a tree, with one hand he held a small raindow and the other was a cloud and the sun.
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Brian hit my side and looked at me, "How did she talk them into this? This is like from 8th grade.""Yeah, I noticed."Grandma Littrel cameout in pure blue and waving her arms up and down, as to be like a bird. Tim and Mrs. Richardson crawled on their hands and knees in gray and black pretending to be a dog and a cat. The only one I didn't remember was Nick the pink blob in the middle. It wasn't till Mr. and Mrs. Littrel came out till I had some sort of understanding. "So what are we getting today, dear?" Mr. L, asked."I think we should look for a pet," replied Mrs. L."Well, I want a dog, who will be playful and love to walk amoungst the trees.""But I've always wanted a cat to cuddle and purr.""Mama," Leighan said walking on. "I want the blue birdy that can fly into the sky and touch the sun.""Darlin' we are getting a cat.""NO A DOG!""I want the birdie."The three continued to agrue as Kristen walked on. "Now you see, they can't decide and this is where I come in. I shall help them realize who their best pick should be. Now, I think a bird, cat, or dog is a wonderful pet to pick for a family. But here is the most wonderful pet, the pink fluff," Kristen manged to say without laughing."I want the birdie, what does the pink fluff do?" Leighann innocently said."It can run around trees, cuddle, and even touch the tip of a rainbow in the sky.""Mommy it is the perfect pet!" "How much is it?" Mr. L asked."That lil' darlin' is free for your taking.""Mommy can we can we?""Yes, I think this is the perfect pet."The three walked back behind the wall as Nick slowly waddled. The rest of them walked off behind him and then Nick came back on."So what am I? You might ask, the perfect pet, trees, rainbows, and cuddlely.""He is a a new baby, one who will love to play with dad, let mom cuddle him, and even try to reach for the sky for his sister.""And that was performed each year before everyone is sent off to highschool," Leighann added."You guys are such dorks," Brian shouted. "Nick you look very nice in pink!""LEIGHANN!""Brian, be nice!" Leighann scolded. "Now for the one last thing, if you arn't peeing already, Kristen and I did some art work."“Art work?” I said looking at Brian.“Will you stop with those looks, she is Leighann, who knows it could be her singing on her own album.”“And how could she find time to do that?”“I don’t know, and if it is, I’m going to be ready to run, cause her voice is well, her voice.”“We want Nick!” AJ shouted.“Pinky Prick!” Chris yelled.“Alexander!” Leighann warned again.“Christopher,” Mrs. Littrel said.“Hahahaha,” Tyler said boastfully.“Shut-up Chasez,” Chris sneered.“Okay, we are ready now,” Kristen said shaking her head while Leighann yelped. “We were ready, what are you doing?”“I can’t carry this by myself.”“Hold on!” Kristen said and walked away. “You are so weak, give me it!”“Fine, I’ll carry the chocolate people!” Leighann said and took the small tray filled with ten chocolate figures. “Okay, now we’re ready,” Kristen said and placed the large board, covered in trash bags, down. “First we will start with Leighann’s invention, credited to Leslie Carter.”“Yes, my chocolate people!” Leighann said with a tray of brightly colored candy bars. “I only had time for ten and I ate most of the pieces as I went along. Anyway, here are the *N Sync boys in their basketball costumes and of course my guys over here, in the wonderfully detailed artistic ‘As Long As You Love Me’ crazy but perfect outfits.”Brian just kind of sat there and stared at her, I think he was unsure to applaud or laugh. Where as mostly everyone else were shaking their heads at her, except for Key, Kelli, Britney, Christina, Ilana, and me. The six of us were exchanging glances, since we had known where she got the idea, and mostly trying not to laugh.
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“Yes, you can all look at them at a later time,” Kristen said. “Now for the more intelligent piece, the work I did with help of Leighann, and a few nice hours.”Kristen took the bags from the long board to reveal a nicely done collage of the past years that Leighann and herself had spent with the whole gang, including some recent ones. From the times when Kristen had just met Kevin at Disney or Leighann and Brian after food fights to all of us dressed up before award shows or just having fun sitting around doing nothing.“Anyway, we are going to give this to Grandma Littrel. Since she shares Brian and Kevin and for the rest of you, you’ll just have to visit if you want to see it!”“Can I eat myself now?” AJ asked.“That is an interesting thought,” Howie said shaking his head.“NO! I’m keeping them. It will remind me of your SWEET sides,” Leighann said.“What sweet sides?” Brian asked standing up and walking over to her.“Well, this has been interesting,” I said turning to Kelli.“I still want to know where Nick got the pink clothing that fit. Why couldn’t it have been blue or something anyway?”“Because in middle school, every year for the eighth graders, they would have a boy dress in pink as the baby. Apparently Brian was close to that, but he played the dog instead.”“Oh,” Kelli said shaking her head as if we were crazy, which we were.“Well, what did you think?” Nick asked.“I think if tomorrow is anything like today, I might have you all put into a home,” I said shaking my head.“I might be weird, but Leighann can outdo herself there.” ~The Next Day~“We come all this way and we are kicked out of the house again,” I complained after having the packed lunch.“And why would you want to be in the house?” Justin asked.“I don’t know, it is just the point. Nick is scaring me though, he has been trying to plan this whole thing for far to long. But then again he is Nick and he can’t plan anything.”“Ames, shut-up. You need to just sit back and enjoy the time while you’re here, but no you are worrying about Nick.”“And I think you might know something!”“I might, now come on, there has got to be something to do in Kentucky!”“I guess, I still can’t believe he kicked Kelli out though!”“What?” Kelli asked looking up from her journal.~Kelli~Dear Journal,Hey, I know, my past few entries have been rather short. It’s just that the tour life is hectic and I never have time anymore. Grrr! Well, right now we are sitting on the front steps of Brian’s parent’s house, kicked out once again by Leighann and Nick, who are planning another night like last night, which I explained before.Well, I should tell you what Nick did for me yesterday. After blindfolding me and driving around in what seemed like circles, and also after listening to me complain and argue with him, we arrived at The Kentucky Horse Center, you know, the really cool Kentucky Derby place. Wow, run on sentence there. Any ways, when we got there, Nick introduced me to Ms. Juliann, who gave us a tour of the stables and let me pick out a horse to ride! Charismatic was there, so of course I chose him! Anyway again, Nick left me to tack up and sat in the grandstands and filmed me as I warmed up on Charismatic. He is a dream to ride! His canter and gallop are so smooth! Then to my extreme surprise, Juliann challenged me to a mock race. Not being an idiot, I agreed to it, and actually won! My God! That was the best, or so I thought.After my cool adventure there, Nick took me to this cool clearing in the woods, where we met up with Ames and Justin, and then Key and Ryan. Ames was pissed and both Nick and Key because they weren’t supposed to bring people to the special place, but then again, she brought Justin. Well, there’s only one more thing that would make Kentucky cooler, and that would be to teach Justin how to ride and not be afraid of horses, but I doubt that will ever happen. Hey! I just heard my name, so later!Love and Peace and Horses!Kelli (don’t ask!)
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~Ames~“I hate you Nick!” Leighann said stepping out on the porch. “What?”“Nothing, at all,” I said looking up at her.“If he weren’t trying to get things done, I’d of hurt him.”“Okay, so now what are we going to do?” Justin asked.“I don’t know, but he has no one in there now to help him!” Leighann said still holding a grudge.“Alright,” I said nodding at her.“Can you guys please kind of leave,” Nick said poking out the door. “Yeah, I need Brian.”“NICK!” Leighann said.“Yes, I think we can manage to leave,” Justin said trying to lead Leighann away from the door. “Nick is such a dork!” Leighann pouted a few hours later. “Well, this afternoon has been entertaining,” Justin sighed.“You didn’t have to sit there the whole time,” I said shaking my head.“I don’t like this color,” Leighann said looking at her hand.“I don’t really like it as a nail color either,” Kelli said looking at the bright orange Leighann was referring to.We had gone to the local Salon, where everybody knew everybody. Why we chose there, I guess because we didn’t really have all that much time to go anywhere else. Getting nails and quick hairstyles done seemed to be okay. However, Justin had to come along. It was a sight, he just sat there, discussed hair color with some old lady and decided on our nail color. That is how I ended up with lime green and Leighann with orange, Kelli could get the nice looking light blue one. Now we were on our way back to the house.“So Leighann, how scared should we all be?” I asked.“It is Nick, think about it, I still can’t believe he kicked me out, but it is going to be sweet.”“I already knew that,” Kelli said.“Yeah, and I still have no idea what he is going to do.” “He is supposed to be ready now!” Leighann said opening the front door to the quite house. “Good sign, silence!”“If they are all going to jump out, this wasn’t worth it,” I said.“Nope, we are going to the backyard.”“The backyard?” Kelli asked.“Yeah, Nick has things planned.”“Why the backyard? That doesn’t even click with anything,” I said.“It all will, now come on.”“This is very weird,” Justin said shaking his head and following us out. “Well, they are coming out now Nick,” Brian said looking at his backyard.“I can’t even believe I remembered this. It was what the second time I had ever come up here for her thirteenth birthday.”“And why are we reliving it?”“Because I like marshmallows!”“Marshmallows?” Kelli said going through the door followed by Leighann, Justin, and me.“Yeah, how does it all look?”“You kicked me out boy!” Leighann said and charged Nick.“Leighann at least wait till Ames sees it,” Brian said standing in her way.It was from the word marshmallows that something actually had some meaning to me. 13th birthday, and Brian was going to be home. I was a big teenager now, and Mrs. Littrel and I had become closer since Brian was gone. I had my party with a few other girls invited in their backyard. What I didn’t know was that Brian was bringing the gang who I had met twice before. I walked out of the door and there were six tents set up around a nicely made camp fire, and hay stacks. “You are a dork,” I said shaking my head.“Oh well,” Nick said and hugging Kelli.
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"He hugs Kelli what a nice thought!" I said shaking my head. "Damm, I still can't believe you remembered this! How did this even cross your mind?""I don't know. I was just thinking and it came across my mind and so I did it," Nick said still craddling Kelli."So are we going to start a fire?" AJ complained."Yeah AJ, we are going to use your hair first!" Chris said."Yeah, the dreds can just be pulled off!""This isn't exactly how I remember it," I said as the two continued to bicker about hair."Remember what?" Justin asked."Well, to start, I turned 13 ad was having a party in Bri's backyard, and for some reason all guys came and slept in an extra tent, sort of. It was a cool night, first girl and guy thing too.""It was also the first night you were asked out," Brian recalled."Thanks Bri, for the wonderful remembrance. You all going to pick straws again?""Come on you loved that night!""Yep, and AJ had no regrets after he took me. You, Kev, and D brought weird girls. Poor Nick was stuck with BJ. And Kelli if you think she treated you strangly the first day, you should have seen her when I was introduced." "I want a hot dog," Key complained."Then get your butt up and get one!" AJ replied."But you are sitting right next to them!" AJ picked up a hot dog and threw it at her, but it kind of landed in the grass."You freak, you can't even throw!""YOU CAN'T CATCH!""STOP!" Kevin yelled."Well, this is an interesting," I said as I watched my friends sit around me and complain about each other. It had changed, first off we're missing the other four girls who were who knows where now. But that was okay, because these were the people who I cared about."Are we going to play now?" Nick said waving his hand in front of my face."Oh yeah, you got the flash lights?" "Shh, you are going to get us caught," I complained as Kelli continued to move."This is weird, I'm stuck behind a car.""SHH!" I said as Leighann and Brian were walking around with the flash lights trying to tag people. "I heard that," Brian called."Great Kelli!""What, you were the one shhing me.""AMES!" Brian called."Brian they aren't going to come out, you have to find them!" Leighann said."Thanks for the pointer."Nick for some reason always had to come to the rescue. He ran across the road, causing Brian to make a quick turn to see what was going on. For now his mind would be off of us. Leighann however was another story. She slowly creeped around the car as Kelli and I walked the other way. "LEIGHANN?!""Jeeze Brian and you used to play this game all the time?""It would be nice if you were helping me corner people.""And there are two right here.""And Nick is over here, or so I think!"
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"Kelli?" I asked looking down at the ground."Shh, I'm hiding," she said crouching lower to the ground almost completely under the car."Okay," I whispered, "I'm going to walk over there."I walked away from the car while Brian and Leighann still stood there looking at each other. Backing up and still watching the other two, I headed right into something unexpected."Holy what are you doing?""Me, you were the one not looking where you were going," Trip said under his breath. "And hi Christina.""Hi, Ames!""Well?" I said looking at Trip."Ames," Christina whispered."Just wondering, bye now!" I said walking away and paying attention to where I was headed this time."I'M IT, SO WATCH OUT PEOPLE!" Nick said running some direction other then mine. "NOW SOMEONE ELSE COME OUT HERE, I WANT MARSHMELLOWS SOON!""Well, that means I'm out in a few seconds," I said to myself and continued to walk behind houses. "Having fun?" Kevin asked."And why wouldn't I be?""Don't know, I feel kind of weird now walking through the neighbors yard, especially yours.""Yeah, I guess, but it is still cool to be acting like a thirteen year old.""MARSHMELLOWS GUYS!" Nick tried again."Does he realize he has to catch us first?" Kevin asked."He is Nick, he doesn't realize a lot of things.""True, but he did think all this up.""Yeah, and if I don't move, I'm going to be the first to be eating his marshmellows," I said and walked back towards the road through houses."DAMM YOU! COME BACK HERE!" Nick shouted. "KARIANNE, YOU ARE SO GOING DOWN, NOW!" he said slowly getting off the ground from where she had tripped him.I continued to walk back to the Littrel's, through the front yard, around the side, and into the back, where the fire was becoming dim."If you are just going to sit there, the least you could do is keep the fire lit," I said to AJ."And give away the best hiding spot? I don't think so, no one has even come back here yet.""Give me a break, and get up and help," I said rekindling the fire."Thank God, they didn't leave me with a short straw. That was so unfair.""For you, hello, I had to spend that whole award show sitting next to you, from the ride there to the after party. I just should have told you no, but Mrs. Littrel was standing right there.""You should have said no, then I could have asked that girl named something.""Something, I really wanted to meet Something too.""Shut-up.""Excuse me, but I don't think you could have done much better anyway.""Really, I could do better any day.""Yeah, and have as much fun, just think you'd have to be nice to her all night long. She'd kill you if you were to go out afterwards and buy a Double Quarter Pounder.""That was pretty cool, you are the only girl I have ever taken to McDonalds.""Okay, so when are they all going to give up and make these s'mores." "What the? You are going to burn it!" Key yelled at me."I like it burnt!" I said blowing the ball of fire that had engulfed the marshmellow."We have already been through this," Nick said. "Like five years ago, so Key get over it!""Thanks," I said still stearing at Key. "AJ, chocolate!"AJ threw the plain Hershey's bar towards me and I placed it onto the gramcrackers. "Good?" Justin asked."Always has been," I said still chewing."So how are we sleeping?" Tyler asked."On the ground in a tent," Justin answered."But in which one?""Ask Nick," I replied."Oh yeah, leave that up to Nick. JC and Ilana, will be seperate then.""Tyler, go away, you are not going to make this night or backyard weird.""Okay, bye then," Tyer shifted and moved across the lawn."Hey Justin," Joey shouted before he got hit with a marshmellow."No, you just didn't do that," Justin said charging Joey.
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"So girls do you have everything you need?""Yes, Mrs. Littrel, I think we are good for the night," I responded from inside the tent where we were trying to get organized. We had just finished cleaning the backyard of the marshmellows, and gram crackers that were thrown. Leighann kept a good arm over the chocolate."Ames, darlin', you know there are some cookies in there, just in case.""Thanks," I said with a smile, and she walked away across the lawn."Cookies?" Britney asked."Well, five years ago, when we were all out here, I went into the house early in the morning and ate all the cookies. Brian almost killed me, especially since they were for him. Now she always makes extra.""Oh, anyway, Christina?""Yes, Britney?""What's up with you and Trip?""Flirting.""You know he is a jerk.""Britney," I said."What? He was.""He has changed alot, and you need to get over the I was 13 thing. Right Kelli?" I said inviting Kelli into the conversation."Yeah, Trip is a nice guy," Kelli said yawning."He is very helpful, thoughtful.""And you have Justin," Christina retorted."Trip is all yours," I said shaking my head."Hello ladies," Nick said poking his head into the tent."See now Britney, that would be a jerk," I said."Hey!" Kelli said looking at me. "Yeah, hey, I set up this whole day, these whole past two days. If I'm a jerk, I must say, I'm the nicest most caring ones around," Nick added."Egotistical too," I said shaking my head."He took the time out to make you this nice day," Kelli said."And only to make himself look good," I replied. "Well, at least he can get up in the morning and be nice, without his hair sticking up in every direction.""Oh, you are going to take that route huh? Well, Justin doesn't have to make himself look good.""Because he knows it won't work.""No, because he already looks good, and he sounds so much better, no squeaking.""Squeaking, hello, he is a wannabe. Someone who only made it on looks.""At least he looks good.""Yeah, him and the fro."Britney, Christina, and Nick, I think were all in shock, first because this was quite, shy Kelli, and then because we both sounded so ridiculous."Yeah, well, Nick knew me first, so I have the right to call him jerk.""That was your comeback, my dad is better.""Excuse me?""Yeah, at least he can come up with something.""Goober?""Hey!""Princess!""AMES!" Nick shouted.Although Kelli and I were completely playing we were getting a little carried away."NICKOLAS!""Jeeze, the last time I go out of my way. Well, Britney and Christina, now that I forgot why I came here, I'm going to go," Nick said and started to walk away."Hey come back," Kelli and I shouted together."I wasn't done picking on you!" I said."I think you are, night.""Nick?" Kelli whined."Yes?""Come back."Asif he were trained hne returned to the side of the tent."We still have the control!" I said looking at Kelli. "Yeah," Kelli said shaking her head. "I'm still mad at you!""Oh, like I meant any of it. Please, Nick is like my best friend, and is so used to us picking on him, he doesn't even notice. Except now he has you to defend him.""And I will. Really she is thankful for all you did today, love you.""I know, and she will eventually say it, like tomorrow. Love you, and night guys," Nick said and walked away. "Could you have been more mean?""Me, Kelli, come on, you were talking about Justin too.""Yeah, okay, sorry.""Me too!""You guys are just weird," Christina said."Lordy, that was so.. I don't know, cute.""I'm tired.""Yeah, it is late," Christina said and curled up into the sleeping bag.The three had begun sleeping, and I continued to look at the top tent, not knowing why I couldn't sleep.
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Slowly I unzipped the front of the tent and walked outside. It was so quite, and dark, but then familiar like I had never left the place. Although we hadn't been gone a year, I missed just sitting along the paved road, or playing in the fields, even just talking to Mrs. Littrel when we would come Brian deprived. I would have never thought that I could miss something so much, like I did those simple things. I never had real complete friends, and the ones I did have were there for me, but in the long run would forget my name. But this was the place where I was taught everything, how to live, survive, treat people, to the simple things as multiplaction facts and riding a bike. It was when I finally started walked around the almost gone fire, did I remember the cookies.It was faster then a heartbeat before I was back inside the house, pouring a glass of milk and munching on the homemade chocolate chip cookies.With the glass and a few cookies in one hand, the other used to raise the cookie to my mouth, I began walking around. Mrs. Littrel, you could tell was from the country. Her house wasn't tacky looking, but it was warm, heartfelt, the way I want to live. Pictures everywhere, from when Brian was baby, to the success of Backstreet Boys. She even had pictures of her and Mr. Littrel's childhood. My favorite one had to be the one of Brian holding a 6 year old me, dressed as fairy before my ballet recital. I remember wanting so much for him to take the class with me, but there was no way, he was going to do something girlie. Little did anyone else know, in my backyard he would practice the dance moves, and even lift me like I was one of the older girls. He did make me promise never to tell Harold, and so far I hadn't.With a few tears and big smile, I was interupted by my thoughts."You okay?""Yeah, just looking at some of these pictures. Now why are you awake?""Oh, let's just say I know when my girl is up," Justin replied."Yeah, okay, want a cookie?""No M&M's?""Cookie or not?""Fine, I'll have a cookie," he said taking one of the cookies. "So what are you doing in here?""Looking at all the pictures, and enjoying the deliciousness of a homemade cookie.""Is that you?""Yes that is me," I said shaking my head as he pointed to the girl."You were so adorable, look at the outfit.""Yeah, look at Brian, looks exactly the same," I said and walked to the couch and sat down."You sure you're okay?""Justin, I'm fine, it was just so long ago, but like yesterday. I miss it. I never would have thought I would be going on tour around the country, nevertheless, sitting here with most famous people in the world. It is amazing. I'd pictured a small house in the country, with my husband and children. I would go off to work as a teacher everyday and then come home and just be with my family doing the motherly things. Whether it was in Maryland or Kentucky. Nothing big, but special.""We could do that.""We?" I asked with the little butterflies swimming in my stomach."Yeah, why not. It sounds like a perfect life, maybe add a dog, a trained one, and it is the perfect dream. We could make that all happen."
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Comprehend it, I kept saying over in my head. It was the perfect dream, but us. Of course I'd picture us, but not in the country with a simple house, more like a mansion, and stars kind of life."Ames, I never thought I end up here. If it wasn't for a famous mouse, I'd probably still be a country loving boy.""I know," I said still picturing it in my head. "Can I have like another at least 4 years to think about all of it though?""22, yeah, I think that works.""You think, you better think so, my mother would kill me, and then my father, lord help you.""Oh, I'd manage.""Yeah, sure thing Cutie. So what are we going to name them?""I like Justin Jr, 1 and 2 and 3.""Yeah, well, I don't.""Well, then get used to it, and what happened to 4 years?""Good point, by then I'll have you brain washed anyway.""You think so, I'll be ruling.""Oh, we just let you think that.""Whatever," he said looking directly at me."Okay so maybe not, besides I wouldn't want to give you my secrets.""Secrets, you have secrets?" he said moving closer."More then you'll ever know," I replied and closed my eyes. "By then, I'll know them all," he said with his lips brushing mine."We'll see," I said and kissed him back. After finally falling asleep, it was time to wake up. We had a nice long drive ahead us, to New York City. Apparently Leighann and Ilana loved sharing a tent, and once all the gossip stuff was over, it was on to planning JC's birthday. Putting Leighann in New York to plan something was interesting, but then having the guy's girl help her out was going to be shocking. Nothing like Kentucky, cause she didn't know JC that well, but New York was a city of wonder."To bad Tim had to leave yesterday afternoon, we missed the real good-bye," Kevin said."Well, he has work just like you do," Grandma L said."We are going to miss you guys so much," Brian said hugging his mom."Aww," Leighann and I said in unison."They'll keep you strait," Mr. Littrel said and hugged his son."Hey, thanks, the cookies where great," I said thanking Mrs. Littrel."Tell your mom we miss her," she said hugging me and Key at the same time. "Look, darlin' they are all grown up.""Yeah, Mr. Littrel, I owe you a game of golf.""In time, you'll get there," he said and pushed us down the driveway. "Now go before I have to use a mop to wipe her tears.""BYEEEEEEEE," AJ shouted and ran onto the bus."Yeah, we need to deal with him too," I said and turned to walk. I knew just from the tears though, that I could come back in heartbeat, and have a place to return to. It however, was time to be heading to New York.
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"So, JC, Happy Birthday," I said and walked onto their bus, an invite from Justin."Yeah, thanks!" he said nodding his head."23 today!" Justin said hitting him on the back."Love them birthdays on the bus!" Chris blurted."And yours was spent in the bathroom," Lance said and walked by."JC, Mrs. Littrel sent these with me," Tyler said handing him the paper plate with tin foil on it."She didn't have to do that," JC said shaking his head opening the foil to look at the cookies."Well, if you don't want them I'll have them!" Justin said."I don't think so fro boy, get your own.""Why is she here?" Chris complained."Because she balances out your meanness with kindness," Lance retorted."Okay, my birthday, eveyone shut-up!""Yeah, where is Ilana?" Joey asked."Talking with Leighann and Kristen," JC said while throwing things into his bunk."Ah, party time dudes," Chris shouted."I think you should have come with me, instead of me with you," I said and sat down in the middle of the bunks on the floor."Well, your probably right," Justin said. "I WIN, I WIN!" Tyler shouted for the millionth time, after he won at go fish."I QUIT!" Justin shouted. "Want some cereal?""Whatever," I said and followed him."Jeeze, that game is so much more fun with Jonathan." "I would bet! How much longer?""Five now, like two hours.""Wonderful!"
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"This is nice," Leighann said hitting my side with her eldow. "Nice, this is the Four Seasons. Why are we staying here? Last week were in a Holiday Inn.""This is New York babe, and we are going to blow this city away.""Just as long as we don't get caught.""Yeah, anyway, tomorrow, we got plans!""Leighann, you always have plans, more then even I do!""But Ilana is in on this one. We are going shopping.""Shopping is how JC is getting a party.""No the party is after TRL!""TRL! We are going to go to that right?""I should hope so!""So what are we talking about ladies?" Brian asked."Nothing much, are we still doing dinner?" Leighann asked."Dinner alone, in New York, Brian's idea?" I teased."Hey, give me a break, I can do nice things too." "JC are you ready yet?" Ilana asked for the millionth time standing outside one of the rooms."Well, he does know how to dramatize," Tyler said. "Dammit, comeon, she looks really nice."Since it was JC's birthday, Ilana was going to treat him to dinner. The door slowly opened, it was very dramatic. "Well?" JC asked turning around."Well what? Thank god you got your butt out here!" Tyler teased."You look very nice!" Ilana complimented."So, where are we too?" JC asked."Out for your birthday dinner," Ilana said extending her hand, and proceeding to lead him down the hall."Have fun being the girl tonight," Tyler called."Your just jealous!"Before Tyler could say another thing, I had a hand over his mouth, and responded, "See you guys later!" "With Brian, Leighann, JC, Ilana, and even Kevin and Kristen gone, what are we going to do?" AJ inquired."Clubbing baby," Chris replied."Not again," Britney whined. "Fine you can stay here," Chris said inching closer to her. "Back up!" Britney said moving forward, before Lance shot across the room taking Chris to the floor."Impressive," Britney said shaking her head."Yeah, so who is coming?" AJ asked. It turned out that AJ, Howie, Chris, Key, Ryan, Christina, Trip, Tyler, and even Joey, to much persuasion, left for a local New York club. Leaving, Lance, Justin, Nick, Kelli, Britney, and I, to do whatever we wanted.